Gender as a relative term in politics: study findings

Gender & Sexuality

GENDER and SEXUALITY Concept 1: Cross-sex-typed:

Cross-sex-typing refers to the comprehensive set of physical and behavioral mannerisms associated with each gender. Typical examples include the characteristic differences in the way males and females stand, sit, walk, and to many other elements of posture and behavior.

Connection between concept and article:

The article Gender Is a Relative Term in Politics, Study Finds incorporates the concept of cross-sex-typing in the way it describes the characteristic differences between the way males and females typically address each other in the context of political debates.

According to the article, female candidates tend to adopt mannerisms and confrontation strategies normally associated with males when arguing with males in the political environment. Conversely, males tend to adopt aspects of mannerisms normally associated with females when facing female opponents in political debates.

According to the author, this is a function of gendered adaptiveness, which means that males tend to adopt traditionally female perspectives (and vice versa) when facing an opponent of the opposite gender in a debate situation. For example, male candidates tend to raise political issues displaying sensitivity and social consciousness whereas their female opponents tend to raise issues displaying concern for traditionally masculine areas such as crime, defense spending, and taxes.

Concept 2: Social role theory:

Definition:

Social role theory refers to the comprehensive set of social roles expected of individuals based on their respective gender. Typical examples include the occupations held by males and females and their recreational interests. Social role theory is particularly important in connection with sexual mores that prescribe very different sexual and courtship roles based on gender.

Connection between concept and article:

The article Gender Is a Relative Term in Politics, Study Finds incorporates the concept of social role theory in the way it describes the extreme rarity of female political candidates facing male candidates in high-level face-to-face debates in connection with political races. In the Unites States, it has been almost a quarter of a century since a male and female candidate for high-level national political office faced each other in a debate.

This is a direct function of the extent to which social expectation influences males and females differently to aspire to political office or achieve other positions of relative social power.