The Significance of Social Context

Social context referrers to one’s environment that elicits behavioural responses. These are situational and it is important to note that when making gender comparisons, this aspect should be considered. However, it rarely is which creates gender biases, generalizations and misrepresentations of what may be considered a gender difference.

Acknowledging the social context in which a behaviour occurs is enough to change or eliminate differences that may have existed. It can also lead to causal explanations pertaining to aspects such as intelligence, emotional responses and even parallels between men and women. For example, Eagly and Crowley (1986) noted that women and men equally engaged in helpful behaviour when gender was kept anonymous. Originally, the idea that men were chivalrous was enough to impact their behaviour thus making it appear as though men were more likely to help a stranger than a woman was.

Eliminating this aspect changed the results, suggesting that stereotypes play a significant role when analysing gender differences but, also highlighting the importance of context rather than gender.

In the same way that men are stereotypically perceived to be more aggressive than women, however when left anonymous, a study by Bettencourt and Miller (1996) revealed that women reacted similarly in aggressive game-play simulation despite having described themselves as being less aggressive when compared to men.

This signified that a stereotype is enough to influence behaviour as it restricts or eradicates responses. Feeding into a narrative that is false and forcing biases that are already present within society. Exploring gender differences through a lens of this nature is invalid to an extent as it fails to accurately present gender unless the social context is considered.

Hyde et al. (2008) saw boys perform slightly better than girls in mathematics and spatial performance. Why then assume that this means that boys are better at mathematics than girls? Or that girls lack the same spatial capabilities in comparison to boys. Instead of concluding that this is as a result of gender, social explanations offer great insight into the reasoning behind such results. Aspects related to self-efficacy, perception of deeming maths as “male” and experience with boys playing with toys that challenge spatial awareness impact performance. These differences dissipate when girls also play with similar toys which offers great insight into this prospect, hence the importance of social context. Whilst gender research can impact stereotypes, it is not just to see it as the sole contributor to an already existing phenomenon. Rather, differences should be questioned, and further explanations can be drawn from them but considering the social context is just as important to the overall contribution.

Yoder and Khan (2003) explain that noting these differences to begin with is necessary to offer further insight and accurate explanations pertaining to gender. They go on to express the significance of what these results yield as their impact is almost unavoidable and long lasting.

Behaviour cannot be exclusive to gender based on the idea of gender alone. In the same way that biological perspectives offer insight into behaviour, the same can be said about social context when considering the latter. Its role is just as paramount in formulating explanations for the differences that exist and to further question aspects that may not yet be clear.

References

Bettencourt B. A., Miller N. (1996). Gender differences in aggression as a function of provocation: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 119, 422–447. https://doiorg.proxy.library.carleton.ca/10.1037/0033-2909.119.3.422

Eagly A. H., Crowley M. (1986). Gender and helping behavior: A meta-analytic review of the social psychological literature. Psychological Bulletin, 100, 283–308. https://doiorg.proxy.library.carleton.ca/10.1037/0033-2909.100.3.283

Yoder, J.D., & Kahn, A.S. (2003). Making gender comparisons more meaningful: A call for more attention to social context, Psychology of Women 27, 281-290. https://doiorg.proxy.library.carleton.ca/10.1111/1471-6402.00108