Gender Role Socialization

The term socialization refers to how individuals learn about the roles and expectations that they play within a society and the way in which they develop a sense of self. The process of socialization occurs throughout the life span and involves virtually all areas of our lives. Whenever we encounter new situations, we learn about the roles associated with these situations and develop views of how we fit within them.
Sex role socialization, also termed gender socialization, involves developing beliefs about gender roles, the expectations associated with each sex group, and, also, gender identity, an understanding of what it means to be a male or female. Gender socialization is probably one of the most basic aspects of the general socialization process. Research suggests that children learn that the world is gendered at a very young age and, soon after, develop a sense of their own gender identity.
Theoretical understandings of gender socialization have become more sophisticated over the years as empirical data have accumulated. Early approaches tended to emphasize the role of a child as a target of socialization and adult and media influences as agents that influenced the child’s development. More recent approaches have emphasized children’s cognitive awareness and active involvement in the development of their gender roles and understandings as well as the centrality of peer groups. Biological differences between the sex groups that influence temperament, behaviors, aptitudes, and interests have been increasingly documented.
While much popular writing regarding gender and education suggests that teacher behaviors and school curricula disadvantage females, empirical evidence does not support this view. Instead, children’s experiences with teachers and other adults in schools appear to counter detrimental aspects of peer group interactions, especially for boys. In addition, substantial data suggest that girls have more positive experiences within the educational system than boys through all levels of education. The differences between males and females appear to be stronger with minorities than the White majority, and the advantage of females in educational attainment has widened in recent years. Some scholarly work is addressing the role of gender socialization in these differential patterns of achievement.