M.K.

M
COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
HODAL (PALWAL)
Made by:- Rekha Rawat
Roll No – 19277
B.Ed Ist Year

Gender difference
Meaning of gender difference

 The World Health Organization states, "'[s]ex' refers to the biological and physiological
characteristics that define men and women," and "'gender' refers to the socially
constructed roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society considers
appropriate for men and women.“
 the term applied to the typical differences between men and women that is often specific to
a particular culture where domains as careers, communication, health, social awareness
and orientation to the environment are seen
Biological factors in gender difference

 As opposed to sex (which comprises only the biological aspects of being either female or
male), gender includes the psychological, social, cultural, and behavioral characteristics
associated with being female or male. Gender is defined by one's gender identity or the
recognition that one is either male or female based on both biological and psychosocial
considerations, and the internalization of this gender concept into one's self-identity.
Gender role is largely a product of the way in which one was raised and may not be in
conformance with one's gender identity. The development of gender differences is a
complicated issue including elements of both nature (biology) and nurture (socialization).
Far from being straightforward, research is finding that these two factors are interrelated in
complex ways. Much more research is needed before the relationship between the two
factors and the influence of the relationship on gender is completely understood
The cultural meaning of gender difference

 The cultural meaning of gender difference varies across different cultures. Historically,
gender difference has been linked with gender inequality, or the relationship of the status
of women to their often-dominant male counterparts. Gender difference is determined by
social and biological factors, but as the emphasis put on these factors changes, the
significance of gender difference in society also changes.
 The cultural meaning of gender difference varies across different cultures. Historically,
gender difference has been linked with gender inequality, or the relationship of the status
of women to their often-dominant male counterparts. Gender difference is determined by
social and biological factors, but as the emphasis put on these factors changes, the
significance of gender difference in society also changes.
Gender difference in response to color

 Although findings are ambiguous, many investigations have indicated that there are differences between gender in preferences
for colors. Early investigations done by Guilford (1934) on the harmony of color combinations found that a person is likely to
see balance in colors that are closely related or the opposite. Guilford also found some evidence that more pleasing results
were obtained from either very small or very large differences in hue rather than medium differences, with this tendency more
frequent in women than men.
 A review of color studies done by Eysenck in early 1940's notes the following results to the relationship between gender and
color. Dorcus (1926) found yellow had a higher affective value for the men than women and St. George (1938) maintained that
blue for men stands out far more than for women. An even earlier study by Zastrow (1897) found men preferred blue to red
and women red to blue. Eysenck's study, however, found only one gender difference with yellow being preferred to orange by
women and orange to yellow by men. This finding was reinforced later by Birren (1952) who found men preferred orange to
yellow; while women placed orange at the bottom of the list.
 Guilford and Smith (1959) found men were generally more tolerant toward achromatic colors than women. Thus, Guilford and
Smith proposed that women might be more color-concious and their color tastes more flexible and diverse. Likewise, McInnis
and Shearer (1964) found that blue green was more favored among women than men, and women preferred tints more than
shades. They also found 56% of men and 76% of women preferred cool colors, and 51% men and 45% women chose bright
colors. In a similar study, Plater (1967) found men had a tendency to prefer stronger chromas than women.
Gender theory