GENDER AND SOCIETY

Prepared by: Mr. Romel V. Bordaje

LESSON 1: SOCIETY AND BEHAVIOR
Throughout this course, we will be discussing about the role of gender, society, and its correlates on
human behavior.

Behavior is generally defined ways that individuals interact with their environment, and can be
observable or unobservable. According to William Glasser, Behavior has four
components: Thinking, Feeling, Action, and Physiology. The interplay between these components make
up the total human experience.

Society is defined as an aggregate of people living together in a more or less ordered community. It is
among the regulating agents of behavior, providing information, guidance, and in most cases,
rewards and sanctions to encourage or discourage behaviors it considers acceptable or unacceptable.
Evaluation of the acceptability of certain behaviors are often based on existing norms.

DEFINITIONS

Behavior – our manner of thoughts, feelings, and actions

Thoughts – the cognitive component of human behavior

Feelings – the affective component of human behavior

Actions – the observable component of human behavior; heavily influenced by thoughts, feelings, and
physiology.

Covert behavior – behavior that is unobservable, or not directly observable (thoughts and feelings)
Overt behavior – observable behavior (actions)

Acceptable behavior – behavior either praised or tolerated

Unacceptable behavior – behavior either disliked, discouraged, or punished

Personality – characteristic patterns of behavior

Habit – any regularly repeated behavior that requires little or no thought and is learned rather than
innate.

Learning – any relatively change in behavior as a result of experience

Experience – the conscious component of human existence; results from one’s interaction to the
internal and external environment
Reward – a type of behavior reinforcer (something that strengthens behavior):

1. that is either the addition of something pleasant or pleasurable (i.e., food, money, freebies,
etc.); or

2. the removal of something unpleasant or painful (i.e., choke or training collar for dogs, tight
harness for horses, play restrictions for children, etc.)

Punishment – a type of behavior inhibitor (something that weakens behavior) that is either:

1. the addition of something unpleasant or painful (i.e., corporal punishment, detention, etc.); or

2. the removal of something pleasant or pleasurable (i.e., cancellation of rights/freedom privileges,

withdrawal of positive regard, sequestration of valuables like cellphone, property, etc.)

We may look like deserts on the outside but our journey towards growth and maturation may eventually
reveal the “water well” or “gold” that is hidden inside us. The journey to self-awareness can be scary at
first, but it has its rewards. The more we get to know our self, the more we have the opportunity
to accept, forgive, and love ourselves more, and this in turn develops our ability to consciously shape
our behavior towards what we wish to attain.
 Society – an enduring social group living in a particular place whose members are mutually
interdependent and share political and other institutions, laws and mores, and a common culture.

Norms – standard ways of behaving.

NORMS

Key Types of Norms:

1. Folkways

2. Mores

3. Laws

4. Taboos

Factors that Influence Cultural Norms

1. Culture

2. Religion

3. Traditions

4. Values

5. Attitudes

Types of Norms

Folkways – describe socially acceptable behavior but do not have great moral significance; common
customs of everyday life (social preferences); may also refer to behaviors that are learned and shared by
a social group.
Examples: Bowing or shaking hands as a form of formal greeting

Mores – describe socially acceptable behavior with great moral significance; violation of them
endangers the society’s stability (social requirements); traditional customs and conventions that are
typical of a particular society

Examples: Sexual activity should be done in private, preferably after marriage

Laws – norms that are formally inscribed at the state or federal level and can result to formal
punishment for violations, such as fines, incarnation, or even death; they are formal social controls that
outline rules, habits, and customs a society uses to enforce conformity to its norms.

Examples: Individuals convicted of rape or murder goes to prison

Taboos – bans and inhibitions resulting from social customs or religious practice

Examples: Incestuous relationships such as marrying your cousin

Factors that Influence Cultural Norms

Culture – collective term to identify the ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or
society.

Religion – a system of belief and practice accepting a ‘binding’ relation to a divine being (in the case of
monotheists), or divine beings (in the case of polytheists)

Traditions – ideas and beliefs that are passed down from one generation to the next generation

Values – a person or group’s judgement about what’s important in life.

Attitudes – a set of belief, emotion, or action towards a particular object.

“Train up a child in the way he should go; so when he is old he will not depart from it.”

- Christian Community Bible

Since birth, we are taught about bad or good, right or wrong by our primary caregivers, often family
members like mom and dad. We learn various manners and principles, and are often expected to
behave according to the values our families consider significant. As we mature and widen our social
sphere, we continue learning about what people expect of us outside our homes; and though to varying
in degree, live according to the moral principles we were exposed early on. Throughout life, our
behaviors continue to evaluated by the people around us, either implicitly or explicitly. Some behaviors
are accepted, while others are not. The level of acceptance often depend on what is agreed upon by the
majority of persons in our community. Oftentimes a set of roles and expectations are laid before us.
These roles and expectations vary from culture to culture. Depending on various factors, we either meet
these expectations with difficulty or ease. Nevertheless, awareness about them help us navigate our
social environment more effectively.

Synthesis

Because of existing social norms, some behaviors are encouraged and others are discouraged. According
to the Law of Effect of human behavior, behaviors followed by positive experience or consequences are
strengthened, and behaviors followed by negative experience or consequences are weakened. Norms
often provide the attitudes and/or consequences that impact how one ’s experience with the world can
be pleasant or unpleasant, and this, in turn, influence whether or not precedent behaviors are repeated,
inhibited, or extinguished. All behaviors are driven by needs that the person seeks to fulfill, and when a
need is not met, it results in pain or distress (William Glasser, Fritz Perls).

Social norms often act on our need for security and belongingness, among others. When persons do not
behave in a socially accepted behavior, for instance, they are often disliked or shunned by members of
the society, often enough to cause significant amount of distress. This loss of security and belongingness
is not limited to the social and psychological sphere, however. In some communities, losing the favor of
its members can also mean the loss of certain economic privileges, hence a threat to survival.
Meanwhile, persons who violated the society’s laws may be imprisoned or fined for specific
violations, and in extreme cases, even killed. Nevertheless, a person’s conformity to society’s norms may
vary, in response to the society’s rigid or less rigid nature of existing norms.
END OF LESSON 1