VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY,

HANOI INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL

MID-TERM
Introduction to Sociology

Name:
Student ID:
Class:
 ASSIGNMENT
Gender identity is the personal sense of one's own gender. Gender identity can
correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various
biological determinants of sex are congruent, and consistent with the individual's gender
identity. Gender expression typically reflects a person's gender identity, but this is not always
the case. While a person may express behaviors, attitudes, and appearances consistent with a
particular gender role, such expression may not necessarily reflect their gender identity.
In most societies, there is a basic division between gender attributes assigned to males
and females, a gender binary to which most people adhere and which includes expectations of
masculinity and femininity in all aspects of sex and gender: biological sex, gender identity,
and gender expression. Some people do not identify with some, or all, of the aspects of gender
assigned to their biological sex; some of those people are transgender, non-binary, or
genderqueer. Some societies have third gender categories.
Although the formation of gender identity is not completely understood, many factors
have been suggested as influencing its development. In particular, the extent to which it is
determined by socialization versus innate factors is an ongoing debate in psychology, known
as "nature versus nurture". Both factors are thought to play a role. Biological factors that
influence gender identity include pre- and post-natal hormone levels.
Social factors which may influence gender identity include ideas regarding gender
roles conveyed by family, authority figures, mass media, and other influential people in a
child's life. When children are raised by individuals who adhere to stringent gender roles, they
are more likely to behave in the same way, matching their gender identity with the
corresponding stereotypical gender patterns. Language also plays a role: children, while
learning a language, learn to separate masculine and feminine characteristics and
subconsciously adjust their own behavior to these predetermined roles. The social learning
theory posits that children furthermore develop their gender identity through observing and
imitating gender-linked behaviors, and then being rewarded or punished for behaving that
way, thus being shaped by the people surrounding them through trying to imitate and follow
them. Large-scale twin studies suggest that rather than shared environmental factors, which
have a negligible role, the development of both transgender and cisgender gender identities is
due to innate genetic factors, with a small potential influence of unique environmental factors.

1
 There are many reasons the believe that the family is the most important agent of
socialisation. The family is a primary agent of socialisation, it is responsible for the basic skill
that are learnt to be a functional member society e.g. communication, mobility, right from
wrong. One could argue that at a young age the family is the most dominant agent of
socialisation and thus has a direct influence on ones gender Identity. Talcott Parsons suggests
that the family is the most important agent of socialisation as he argued that the norms and
values are learnt first and foremost from the family.
The children are socialised into their gender roles and hence in their gender identities
by the family in four ways. The first of these ways is Manipulation. This consists of parents
(or other family members) encouraging behaviour that is seen as the norm for the child’s
gender and discouraging behaviour that is not considered the norm e.g. congratulating a boy
for completing an obstacle course but discouraging a girl from attempting the obstacle course.
The second method described by Oakley is Canalisation. This comprises of parents
channelling the child’s interests into activities that are considered the norm for their gender
e.g. encouraging girls to do ballet and encouraging boys to play football. The third of Oakley’s
methods was Verbal Appellations. This involves giving children nicknames or pet names that
are appropriate for their gender e.g. little angel for girls and little monster for boys. The final
of Oakley’s methods was Different Activities. This is when parents or family members
encourage children to involve themselves in different activities e.g. girls staying inside to help
their mothers cook and boys are more likely to be given permission to roam outdoors. These
methods identified by Ann Oakley describe how the family can be considered the most
important influence on gender identity as it shows that children can be socialised into their
gender identity by the family from a young age.
School is an important arena in which one can act out one’s gender identity and affirm
one’s masculinity or femininity and thus affirm one’s gender identity. Sociological research
shows that there is pressure in school to conform to traditional gender identities. If one is a
boy, one is often expected to display aspects of traditional masculinity such as enjoying sport
and being competitive; and if a male student displays traditionally feminine traits they are
criticised. Similarly, girls who act masculine may be subject ridicule. This handout looks at
ways in which traditional gender identities are reinforced in school.
As children grow and develop over the years, their gender identity and development
can be influenced by gender bias in books. Such biases and stereotypes limit the development

2
of a child. Positive behavior, gender roles, and better self-concept, in children, are influenced
by books that are not gender-biased. By the time children are entering preschool or
kindergarten, they have a general understanding of male and female gender and have
internalized some basic schemas regarding the roles and appearances of each. These schemas
have been mostly furnished by parental interaction, media exposure, and underlying biological
factors (e.g. inherent aggressiveness, sexual orientation), though some children may also learn
from limited social interaction with individuals outside the family. However, these early
conceptions of gender roles undergo radical change when the child enters school. Here, the
child will encounter a wide variety of approaches to gender, assimilating new information into
their existing structures and accommodating their own outlook to fit new individuals,
institutional demands, and novel social situations. This process of socialization is
differentiated between gender, and general trends in the social constructs of elementary age
children reflect the organization of gender within the family and society at large.
One way of evaluating gender roles in school children is to dissect the popularity
hierarchies that they construct and inhabit. Many studies have done just this, and significant
differences are evident between genders. Athletic prowess is by far the most significant factor
in popularity among boys, and one study even reported that the most popular male at each
school they observed was the best athlete. Those who are not athletically inclined can still
attain moderate levels of popularity by merely adopting an interest in sports, while boys who
are neither athletically inclined nor interested in sports are commonly harassed and victimized
by their more popular peers. For example, Kostas 2021 has argued that boys who are not
interested in football or other masculine sports and do not embody certain characteristics
around which masculinity is constructed (e.g. sporting prowess, speed, emotional and physical
strength)are seen as effeminate by their classmates and subjected to exclusionary practices
such as name calling (e.g. ‘poofs’, ‘sissies’, and ‘gays’). This might be seen as an extension of
the rough and aggressive play that boys seek at a young age.Boys can also become popular by
wearing "cool" clothes and possessing trendy gadgets, although this is a much more important
factor among girls. Socioeconomic status, which contributes greatly to a child's ability to
obtain cool products, is considered one of the most important factors in a girl's popularity at
school. Daughters of affluent parents are able to afford the expensive makeup and accessories
that allow them to mimic societal standards of superficial beauty, making them more attractive
to boys and more popular.

3
 The role of academic achievement in determining popularity also differs considerably
between gender; in the first few years of school, scholastic success correlates positively with
the popularity of boys. However, as boys near adolescence, doing well in school is often
viewed as a source of shame and an indication of femininity. Additionally, disregard for
authority and an attitude of disobedience is common among popular boys. Among girls,
academic achievement has little correlation with popularity at all. Girls are more likely to
value effort over inherent ability, while the opposite is true for boys. Both genders place a
value on social intelligence, with children more skilled at mature interaction with peers and
adults generally being more popular.
Ex: 80% of transgender adults report knowing they were “different” as early as
elementary school. 96% report realizing they were transgender before adulthood.On average,
gender diverse individuals were 15 years old before they had the vocabulary to understand and
communicate their gender identity.Gender diverse students often report feeling unsafe at
school, avoiding gender specific spaces (e.g., restrooms), and experiencing harassment at
school.Students indicate that they rarely report discriminatory incidents, and those who do feel
unprotected.Gender diverse students experiencing gender-related stressors at school are more
likely be absent, have lower GPAs, report higher levels of depression, engage in substance use
and risky behaviors, and be at an elevated risk for suicide.Some students may live in their
affirmed gender identity with peers at school, but not at home, or vice versa.
From an early age, children are interested in and responsive to their peers, and they
form meaningful relationships with them. As children spend more time interacting with their
peers, they have opportunities to socialize one another by encouraging or discouraging
particular behaviours, by modeling or by creating norms that guide children’s behaviours.
Gender is salient to young children’s own identities and perceptions of others and they
socialize each other’s gendered behaviours. This might happen directly. For example, one
child might tell another child that a particular activity is appropriate for one gender or the
other (e.g., “Dolls are for girls” or “No boys allowed in our fort”). Or, it can happen indirectly.
For example, the more time children spend time with peers the more similar they become to
one another in interests, behaviours, and interactional styles.
To illustrate this, researchers studying U.S. children have found that the more time
boys spend playing with other boys, the more boy-like they become. In other words, boys who
play frequently with other boys become more active, more dominant, and more aggressive.

4
Similarly, girls who frequently play with other girls engage in behaviours that are more typical
of girls. And, this happens in a fairly short period of time – over the course of just a few
months. For example, in the fall of the school year, researchers observed few and small
differences in the play behaviours of boys and girls. But by the end of the school year a few
months later, boys and girls were noticeably more different and more gender-typed in their
play activity and behaviour. This was related to the amount of time they spent playing with
same-sex peers; the more they did so in the fall, the more gender-typed they were in the
spring.6
Boys and girls spend large amounts of time playing with same-sex peers and relatively
small amount of time playing with peers of the other sex., This pattern is known as gender
segregation.8 Gender segregation begins by age 2.5 to 3 years and increases in strength and
intensity through the elementary school years. As a result, children are most likely to be
socialized by peers of the same gender. This also means that boys and girls have different
experiences and learn skills, competencies, and interests in their interactions with same-sex
peers. Boys learn how to get along and play effectively with other boys. In contrast, girls learn
how to influence and play more cooperatively with other girls. Over time, these same-gender
peer preferences become stronger, strengthening gender segregation and the promotion of
gender-typed behaviours and interests. This gender segregation cycle makes it less likely that
boys and girls interact and learn from each other, and promotes gender stereotypic beliefs,
attitudes, and biases about and towards the other sex.
Various factors, such as gender representation in media, play a role in gender
discrimination. Media nurture gender roles and behavioral traits through advertisements and
photos where women’s roles vary from childcare to workplace activities displaying women
dependence while, on the other hand, men are portrayed as more independent and less likely to
express their emotions. So, although the digital world gives us the opportunity to express
ourselves through our e-identity, in reality, digital settings simply lead us to the replication of
the existing norms and culture of the tangible world, related to gender
The ubiquity of social media platforms have given people the opportunity to be more
open and honest than ever before, and some have decided to use this to their advantage in the
form of further expressing their identities. Social media has become a great open forum,
allowing us to express our individualities. The "snapshot" aesthetic of Instagram allows us to
have an on-the-fly (or even a posed) look at users we might not have otherwise seen, offering

5
us an exclusive insight into their daily lives and routine. In a 2014 study on social media and
gender identity, researcher Debjani Roy concluded that members of the LGBT community
“created new, non-heterosexual spaces where identity is not determined by an individuals past
on the Internet. This, perhaps, gave people more openness and freedom, as it was a new part of
their lives It wasn't necessarily reflected on by who knew them or what they did in their pasts.
Roy also stated that “media content acts as an extremely powerful source of social meaning
and its representations of gender today are more complex than in the past.Social media can
change people’s views and expectations of different communities around the world. It's
important to be able to express yourself, whether that's on Facebook, Instagram or even in real
life, blaring your life story out in the middle of the street with a megaphone.

6
 REFERENCES
1. "Talking to young kids about gender stereotypes | The Line". www.theline.org.au. Retrieved
2018-12-13.
2. Boseley, Sarah (20 September 2017). "Children are straitjacketed into gender roles in early
adolescence, says study". The Guardian.
3. "UNICEF - Early Childhood - Early Gender Socialization". unicef.org. Retrieved 2018-12-
13.
4. Gender Identity and Gender Confusion in Children. (11 May 2013). HealthyChildren.org.
Retrieved 11 November 2013 from
http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/pages/Gender-Identity-and-
Gender-Confusion-In-Children.aspx
5. Quinn, Paul C; Yahr, Joshua; Kuhn, Abbie; Slater, Alan M; Pascalis, Olivier (2002).
"Representation of the Gender of Human Faces by Infants: A Preference for Female" (PDF).
Perception. 31 (9): 1109–1121. doi:10.1068/p3331. ISSN 0301-0066. PMID 12375875.
S2CID 11359932.
6. Beal, C. (1994). Boys and girls: The development of gender roles. New York: McGraw-
Hill.[page needed]
7. Raley, Sara; Bianchi, Suzanne (August 2006). "Sons, Daughters, and Family Processes:
Does Gender of Children Matter?". Annual Review of Sociology. 32 (1): 401–421.