Gender Schema Theory Explained

Gender schema theory is a cognitive theory of gender development that says that gender is a product of the norms of one’s culture. The theory was originated  by psychologist Sandra Bem in 1981. It suggests that people process information, in part, based on gender-typed knowledge. Key Takeaways: Gender Schema Theory Gender schema theory proposes that children create cognitive schema of gender that they derive from the norms of their culture.The theory accounts for four gender categories, which can be measured with the Bem Sex Role Inventory: sex-typed, cross-sex typed, androgynous, and undifferentiated. Origins In her article introducing gender schema theory, Sandra Bem observed that the gender binary between male and female had become one of the basic organizational structures in human society. As a result, children are expected to learn about their culture’s conceptions of gender and incorporate those conceptions into their self-concept. Bem noted that many psychological theories speak to this process, including psychoanalytic theory and social learning theory. However, these theories don’t account for what is learned about gender and how it’s utilized when new information is encountered. It was this shortcoming that Bem sought to address with her theory. Bem’s approach to gender was also influenced by the cognitive revolution that took place in psychology in the 1960s and 1970s. Gender Schemas As children learn about gender-specific attributes, they form gender schemas. Children learn whatever gender schemas are available in their culture, including whatever divisions exist between the two sexes. These cognitive structures enable people to apply the subset of schemas that match their own sex to themselves, which influences their self-concept. In addition, their sense of adequacy may be based on their ability to live up to the appropriate gender schemas. Bem cautioned that gender schema theory was a theory of process. The theory does not account for the specific content of gender schemas, as they may differ between cultures. Instead, it focuses on the way people process and utilize the information their culture provides about masculinity and femininity. For example, a traditional culture may maintain strict divisions between men and women, such that women are expected to take care of the household and raise children while men work outside the home and support the family. Children raised in such a culture will develop gender schema in line with what they observe, and through their schema, will develop an understanding of what they can do as a boy or girl. Meanwhile, in a more progressive culture, the distinctions between men and women might be less obvious, such that children see both men and woman pursuing careers and dividing chores at home. Still, children will look for cues about the differences between men and women in these cultures. Perhaps they’ll notice that people respect powerful men but are dismissive of women who strive for power. This will impact children’s gender schema and their understanding of the way their culture views appropriate roles for men and women.   Gender Categories Bem’s theory suggests that people fall into one of four gender categories: Sex-typed individuals identify with the gender that corresponds to their physical sex. These individuals process and integrate information according to their schema for their gender.Cross-sex typed individuals process and integrate information according to their schema for the opposite gender.Androgynous individuals process and integrate information based on their schema for both genders.Undifferentiated individuals have difficulty processing information based on any gender schema. Bem Sex Role Inventory In 1974, Bem created an instrument to place people into the four gender categories called the Bem Sex Role Inventory. The scale presents 60 attributes, such as assertive or tender, that respondents rate based on how well each attribute describes them.  Twenty of the attributes correspond to a culture’s idea of masculinity, twenty correspond to the culture’s idea of femininity, and the final twenty are neutral. Individuals are scored on masculinity and femininity on a continuum. If they score above the mid-point on the scale that conforms to their sex and below it on the scale that doesn’t conform to their sex, they fall into the sex-typed gender category. The opposite is true for cross-sex typed individuals. Meanwhile, androgynous individuals score above the mid-point on both scales and undifferentiated individuals score below the mid-point on both scales. Gender Stereotypes Bem didn’t directly address gender stereotypes or discrimination based on noncomformity to gender schema in her theory. However, she did question society’s over-reliance on gender distinctions. Thus, research by other scholars on gender schema theory has investigated the ways gender stereotypes are communicated in society. For example, studies have explored the way children’s coloring books communicate gender stereotypes and how these stereotypes may influence children’s gender schema and cause them to conform to gender stereotypes. Gender schemas and the gender stereotypes incorporated into them enable people to understand the social difficulties they may encounter if they fail to conform to their culture’s gender norms. For example, a man who cries at a wedding may be mocked for being less masculine, while a woman who does the same is thought to be exhibiting gender-appropriate behavior. Meanwhile, a woman who speaks forcefully during a company meeting may be seen as bossy or too emotional by her employees, but a man who does the same is considered authoritative and in control. Critiques Gender schema theory provides a useful framework for understanding how knowledge structures of gender are formed, however it has not avoided all criticism. One weakness of the theory is that it fails to account for the ways biology or social interactions impact gender development. In addition, the content of gender schema remains unclear. While the theory is meant to account for the process—not the content—of these schema, its difficult to measure schema with no understanding of their content. Finally, cognitive schemas about gender have been shown to predict thinking, attention, and memory, but they are less predictive of behavior. Therefore, one’s gender schema may not match the behavior one exhibits. Sources Bem, Sandra Lipsitz. â€Å"Gender Schema Theory: A Cognitive Account of Sex Typing.† Psychological Review, vol. 88, no. 4, 1981, pp. 354-364. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.88.4.354Cherry, Kendra. â€Å"Gender Schema Theory and Roles in Culture.† Verywell Mind, 14 March 2019. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-gender-schema-theory-2795205Martin, Carol Lynn, Diana N. Ruble, and Joel Szkrybaio. â€Å"Cognitive Theories of Early Gender Development.† Psychological Bulletin, vol. 128, no. 6, 2002, pp. 903-933. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.128.6.903â€Å"Sandra Bem’s Gender Schema Theory Explained.† Health Research Funding. https://healthresearchfunding.org/sandra-bems-gender-schema-theory-explained/Starr, Christine R., and Eileen L. Zurbiggen. â€Å"Sandra Bem’s Gender Schema Theory After 34 Years: A Review of Its Reach and Impact.† Sex Role: A Journal of Research, vol. 76, no. 9-10, 2017, pp. 566-578. http://dx.doi.org/10.100 7/s11199-016-0591-4

Company Internal Environment Strengths And Weaknesses

Company Internal Environment – Strengths and Weaknesses The success of a brand must heavily reply on the competitive advantages of the company. SWOT analysis is a strategic tool to analyze enterprise’s own internal conditions, and sort out the advantages, disadvantages and core competitiveness (Power, 2008, p. 285). It also shows how these factors interact with each other and how they could be used to create effective success factors (Power, 2008). Below is the SWOT analysis of Easy Run. Strengths Weaknesses †¢ Growing market presence in the US with good reputation †¢ Tailor made fit and high quality product increased brand loyalty and repeat purchases †¢ High spend on RD, which has given Easy Run the experience to make predictions in trends and consumer tastes over the years †¢ Local employees are highly engaged, motivated and involved in decision-making †¢ Strong relationships with retail channel, suppliers and customers †¢ Low inventory because of lean production †¢ Unique product positioning with focused but diversified range †¢ Focused on a footwear market only, no product line of apparels and accessories †¢ Heavy reliance on relationships †¢ Limited manufacturing capacity as manufacturing factories overseas †¢ A market follower because of limited competence †¢ Limited funding available compared with major competitors †¢ Low brand awareness overseas †¢ Customers are price sensitive Opportunities Threats †¢ Expansion into new retail markets †¢ Creation of own concepts and styles †¢Show MoreRelatedMarketing Strategic Planning : Marketing Strategy1042 Words   |  5 Pagescapability and it’s changing marketing opportunities (Kotler, 2009). 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Mini Trial Free Essays

Incredibly, there are currently over â€Å"3,000 asses of Mesopotamia annually’ in the US and more than â€Å"1 0,000 cases† globally (â€Å"The Mesopotamia Center†, 2014). Asbestos lawsuits are continuously prevalent and can be identified by simply turning on a television set any given time of the day. More than likely there will be an asbestos lawsuit commercial on several channels. We will write a custom essay sample on Mini Trial or any similar topic only for you Order Now Since the sass’s, Maryland has had its fair share of these lawsuits because of its asbestos production and inherent health risk posed to the surrounding communities. In 1 993, Baltimore had more than â€Å"200,000 cases† pending against the state of Maryland and the courts had become inundated with an insurmountable mountain of lawsuits (Ogden, 1 993, pig. 38). Attempting to manage all of these cases put a serious strain on the court systems and jeopardized the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s judicial infrastructure. The question for legal professionals was how to handle such a large surge in caseloads. The answer came in the form of an Alternate Dispute Resolution (TAR) known as a Mini-Trial. This TAR process created a means for legal professionals to process large groups of disputants through a dispute resolution process in minimal time. Asbestos mini-trial proceedings in Baltimore were conducted in ropes and series so that the most severe cases could be handled first. The unprecedented decision to utilize mini;trials in this capacity yielded quicker results than normal bench-trial cases could and paved the way for the continued use of this form of 3 TAR. The unique style in how the mini-trials were applied to the Baltimore asbestos cases is what really stood out. Case Study As the amount of plaintiffs grew against multiple companies involved in asbestos manufacturing, Judge Marshall A. Levin of Baltimore’s Circuit Court, ordered the majority of the cases to be performed as mini-trials (Person, 1993). This process would alleviate Some of the limiting factors being experienced in regards to litigation saturation. With literally thousands of affected citizens, Judge Levin felt that a series of mini-trials would clear up a large portion of the individual claims bogging down Baltimore’s court system. The first thing he ordered was for the trials to be conducted in groups. Within these groups, legal professionals to include the judge; would select the most important cases first. His first grouped involved over 600 cases in which patients were already sick or dying from asbestos related illnesses (Person, 993). It was important to process these cases quickly so that any damages awarded could be used for healthcare immediately. Another group involved a series of plaintiffs that were seeking damages from either being exposed to asbestos or not being properly informed of the dangers of asbestos. Even though these were of lesser importance, the process of the mini-trial still afforded the plaintiffs quick resolution. Because there were so many people involved in all of these cases, the judge would also only allow a select few to present testimony. By doing this, Levin prevented the same testimony from Ewing heard by thousands of plaintiffs with the same argument. This â€Å"abbreviated version† of a full court trial proved his theory that mini-trials were beneficial in lieu of (Colors, 2009, pig. 203). Time was not the only thing gained by these trials however. Judge Eleven’s first mini-trial only took four weeks and caught the attention of several other judges. During the second set of 4 trial series, three judges from Baltimore joined him in hearing six more major asbestos cases. Those mini-trials yielded more than SSL 1 million in restitution for three out of the six cases (Person, 1993). Knowing that the number of asbestos cases would increasingly rise, Judge Levin created the â€Å"New Discovery Rule† that would supersede any statute of limitation Maryland had in regards to asbestos related lawsuits (Ogden, 1993). Applying additional gateways offset the non-binding agreement mini-trials and other forms of TAR normally have. Discussion The overall goal in hearing asbestos cases quickly and clearing the courts of hemorrhaging lawsuits was ultimately a success. Eleven’s progressive approach to dispute resolution proved that alternate methods can be fair and equal. Properly categorizing claims that were more severe against claims that were to was paramount in choosing first to appear cases. The quick action of the mini-trial afforded victims in need compensation necessary to the treatment of their illnesses. By grouping the trials into series, the mini-trials also protected the asbestos manufactures of frivolous law suits and false claims of lung cancer due to smoking and not asbestos exposure. One of the biggest conclusions that can be drawn from this case is that the mini-trial is adoptable and long lasting. As recently as 2013, exactly 20 years after Baltimore’s first asbestos min-trial, Maryland is still using the TAR practice ND is a â€Å"major forum for asbestos litigation† (Richard, 2014). Baltimore’s use of the mini-trial not only relieved the strain of over tasked court system, it proved that different forms of TAR could save time. How to cite Mini Trial, Papers