We are all influenced by the perceptions that people have of us due to the groups with which we are identified. In our culture there are four main attributes of individuals that are used to define who we are: gender, age, race/ethnicity and class. People look at us and see us through the social construction of these categories and on the basis of this make decisions about us and how we are likely to behave. These decisions are often made unconsciously, we often are unaware of the decisions we make about others or those they make about us but they greatly affect the value we place on each other and whom we select to live, work and play with. Many of these characteristics are clustered around a defining concept. In our culture, the four concepts listed above are the most important ways we define and relate to people. We create images that stand for these clusters of attributes and we call these images stereotypes. Sometimes they are based on a real person or fictional character who seems to express all these attributes and we keep these images in mind when we look at people. We compare the real people we meet to these images and respond to them on this basis This processes called stereotyping. It is quite common for us to do this as it simplifies the world we live in and provides us with a range of responses so we don't have to think through each situation. Sometimes this process aids us when quick thought to avert danger is necessary but sometimes this process harms us by denying individuality where it is appropriate and denies us and others a respected place in society.

In this course, we are especially looking at the stereotypes created based on gender and sex. How they are defined, how we treat people as a result of their use and how they change and persist.

For an exercise, make a list of all the adjectives and nouns that you associate with the words male and female and then compare them to my list. They may reflect an former period in which before the Women's movement there was a greater dichotomy of gender definitions and a smaller range of activity for women.

What about you, do you think men and women are terribly different?

Should they have different tasks and opportunities based on gender?

Should we divide the world between men and women or should both genders share in the same activities and receive the same benefits from society?


As a second exercise make a list of all the sexual terms for male and female you can think of. We will discuss both of these lists in class.

Return to Soc 311

This list is just a starter, please e-mail me any words that are in current use.