Are Men and Women Psychologically Different and does it Matter?

Are Men and Women Psychologically Different and does it Matter?
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Introduction
Why does one person find the color white appealing while another sees the same color unappealing? Trying to answer some of the issues relating to psychological differences between men and women is analogous to answering the aforementioned question. Gender stereotypes refer to the assignment of arbitrary functions based on sexual orientation. The assignment primarily occurs in the mind of the person doing the stereotyping and most times holds no legal or scientific ground. An example of a stereotype is that men are the primary providers while women are the primary caregivers. Further, heels and stockings are generally considered to be women's clothing and not men's ware. There is no significant psychological difference between men and women when it comes to cognition. However, when other parameters are considered, some differences are observed. For instance, when interests are considered, men love gaming while women like shopping.[Koenig, A. M. (2018). Comparing prescriptive and descriptive gender stereotypes about children, adults, and the elderly. Frontiers in Psychology, 1086.]
Behavioral differences are also prevalent among women and men and affect their psychological nature. For instance, sex is a difference caused by biological reasons. It may determine the psychological aspects of an individual. Other elements that may affect include behavior control when faced with unwanted/ undesirable situations. Biology factors such as pain tolerance and sex drive shape psychological differences. Other aspects include personality and mental health. This paper will attempt to explain whether there are any psychological differences between men and women and why it matters. The paper will comprehensively analyze various aspects in a bid to understand the possible differences and the importance of the same.[Thebault, J. L., Ringa, V., Panjo, H., Bloy, G., Falcoff, H., & Rigal, L. (2018). Accumulation of unhealthy behaviors: Marked social inequalities in men and women. Preventive Medicine Reports, 12, 1-5.] [Yagi, S., & Galea, L. A. (2019). Sex differences in hippocampal cognition and neurogenesis. Neuropsychopharmacology, 44(1), 200-213.]
Different Social Roles for Men and Women
Traditionally, gender roles were well defined among men and women across cultures. According to Eagly's social role theory, gender stereotypes develop from the division of labor and responsibilities based on whether one is a man or a woman. Gender-based division of labor differentiates the roles assigned to both genders, which can be limiting. Men are commonly assigned leadership roles, while women are trusted with nurturant roles. Even in scenarios not related to gender roles, men and women may tend to act differently according to these stereotypes.[Eagly, A. H., & Koenig, A. M. (2021). The vicious cycle linking stereotypes and social roles. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 30(4), 343-350.]
Gender stereotypes were in existence for many years, and some remain unchanged today in some societies. In the traditional society, gender roles were assigned to complement each other's roles. Most activities revolve around family and community welfare. Both men and women recognized and appreciated each other's strengths and weaknesses, which dictated the roles assigned to each. All gender roles were important for survival, and they were not used as tools of control
The traditional roles of women involved doing house chores, taking care of their family, and making sure the children were happy. This home-keeping role was attributed to the nurturing and caring characteristics associated with women. On the other hand, men were assigned leadership roles in the home. They were considered the head of the family, whose roles included providing for the family and defending them. Men were considered to have agentic characteristics such as being assertive, competitive, and independent, hence the gender role.[Zhu, N., & Chang, L. (2019). Evolved but not fixed: a life history account of gender roles and gender inequality. Frontiers in Psychology, 1709.]
Gender roles are instilled since childhood through parenthood and childhood behavior. Gender stereotypes developed early in life continue to influence behavior during adolescence, and the individuals uphold the gender roles in adulthood. Children who grow up in a family where roles are divided based on gender are likely to continue the cycle. For instance, in some homes, girls are expected to stay home and help with the house chores, while boys are assigned roles that are perceived to be masculine. Segregation based on gender is also revealed in the games that boys and girls engage in, whether consciously or subconsciously. For instance, girls tend to play with dolls and cooking sets while boys are encouraged to play football and video games. Parents further enable gender stereotyping by assigning roles and encouraging games and dress codes of children in line with their gender.[Olsson, M., & Martiny, S. E. (2018). Does exposure to counterstereotypical role models influence girls’ and women’s gender stereotypes and career choices? A review of social psychological research. Frontiers in Psychology, 2264.]
In the workplace, some careers and office positions are dominated by males and others by females. For instance, occupational roles associated with caring and affection are dominated by women. These careers include nursing, office cleaning, and cooking. Although most restaurants and cleaning companies are owned and managed by male figures, those who do the actual job are mostly women. In most companies, men occupy managerial positions because they are considered to be aggressive and possess leadership abilities. Although more women are occupying leadership positions in the modern world, there still exists a wage gap between the two genders.[Frear, K. A., Paustian‐Underdahl, S. C., Heggestad, E. D., & Walker, L. S. (2019). Gender and career success: A typology and analysis of dual paradigms. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 40(4), 400-416.]
Gender roles are also assigned to govern the actions and mindset of people. Society expects each gender to act, dress, and express themselves in line with the stereotypes. The psychological impact of gender stereotypes places a mental limit beyond which an individual can think or act. It also affects how people perceive themselves and their abilities, thus affecting productivity.
Discuss Evolutionary Psychology in Men and Women
The evolutionary psychology approach argues that the mind evolved to adapt and solve problems faced by our ancestors during the hunter-gatherer period. Division of labor according to gender was a means of survival during the environment of evolutionary adaptation. Men and women occupied clearly defined social roles that required different strategies, thus widening the psychological differences between the two. To fulfill the role of providing for their families, men engaged in hunting and gathering. Women, on the other hand, nurtured and cared for the children and homes. To perform this role, women stayed home to cook, do house chores, look after kids, and perform other roles that revolved around making the family happy.[Buss, D. M. (2019). Evolutionary Psychology: The New Science of the Mind. Routledge.]
The gender roles required each sex to develop adaptive behavior to perform their designated duties. For instance, men needed to be aggressive and competitive to bring back food from their hunting escapades. Therefore, they developed this skill and passed it on to their sons. The women's role involved homemaking and taking care of the family. To perform this duty, society expected women to be kind, caring, and well organized to put the house in order and make the family comfortable. Therefore, women adapted to this behavior and were perceived to be nurturers naturally.[Hentschel, T., Heilman, M. E., & Peus, C. V. (2019). The multiple dimensions of gender stereotypes: A current look at men’s and women’s characterizations of others and themselves. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 11.]
Initially, social roles for men and women were equally important and were meant to complement each other. However, society began to perceive power lines based on who was in control of resources and decision-making. As society evolved, gender roles became a source of gender inequality. Modern society began to embrace and engage in roles not based on one's gender. To date, gender equality activists advocate for society to abolish the gender roles that are key contributors to inequality among men and women.
Overgeneralization for Men and Women
While significant strides have been made in overcoming gender stereotypes, widespread overgeneralizations o...