How gender influences display rules for expression of emotion

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Parental training for the different sexes
Gender based socialization pressure
The biological explanation
Sex typing
Conclusion
Work Cited

Introduction

Studies conducted in the past have shown that women or even young girls are often likely to show sadness than anger as compared to boys or men who tend to show anger more than sadness. This paper seeks to discuss ways through which gender influences the display rules for expression of emotion.

Parental training for the different sexes

The development of the gender based display rules for the expression of emotions can be partly linked to the way boys and girls are brought up. Parents often tend to bring up their children in a manner that they learn to express emotions that are consistent with gender roles.

Studies conducted indicate that parents nurture this trait by being accommodating to the girl childs sadness and anxiety and accepting the boy childs anger. Reward and punishment is also used to ensure that gender consistent character is taken up by children (Brannon 102).

Gender based socialization pressure

The influence of gender on the display of rules for emotion expression may be due to the gender based socialization pressure. The interaction between children and other members of the society often result into gender oriented roles in life.

For instance, the common say that goes big boys dont cry often hardens boys and at the same time make girls appreciate the fact that they belong to the weaker sex (Brannon 56).

Expressions like this and a lot other g ender aimed actions in the society often encourage the expression of certain emotions in males and females. Submissive emotions by girls can this be developed this way or the disharmonious characters that exhibited by boys.

The biological explanation

Various scientists have tried to link the behavioral differences between males and females to the fact that they are physiologically different. The following points have been put forward to explain how the physiological gender differences affect behaviors and by extension the display rules for expression of emotions.

Its usually observed that males tend to be more aggressive and forceful than females. Studies have linked this observation to the fact that males are more masculine than females and thus will tend to be aggressive when confronted with situations. It is also observed that females are ill prepared for physical extremes by the presence of more sensory nerve endings in their skin.

Sex typing

A common observation that has been made among primates, especially the ground dwelling ones is that males are naturally dominant in order to protect the females and the young ones. Research indicates that even when the young are raised in the absence of adults they differences are clearly observed.

These controversial finding points out that the gender roles are not necessarily learned from society, the society only acts to reinforce them.

Thus the expression of anger or aggression by males can be linked to their role in the protection of the females and the young ones, in that they are ready to fight to defend their families. The anxiety and sadness shown by females may be linked to the fact that they naturally expect to be protected by males.

Conclusion

This paper sought to identify ways through which gender influences the display rules for the expression of emotion. It has been shown that different gender based factors such as biological differences, gender directed social pressure and parental training have a profound impact on the display rule for expression of emotions.

Work Cited

Brannon, Linda. Gender: pyschological persepectives. Lake Charles: McNeese State University, 2007. Print

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