1
V.C Mathye
COURSE CODE: HRPYC81
ASSIGNMENT: 16
Unique number: 649704
STUDENT NUMBER: 51286033
DATE: 21 May 2021
ASSIGNMENT 4803 :
difference(s) and/or similarity(ies)
between males’ and females’ perceptions
relating to traditional gender roles
………………………………………………………………………………………………
PLAGIARISM DECLARATION
1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is using another's work and pretending that it is one's own
work.
2. I have used the American Psychological Association as the convention for citation and referencing
each significant contribution to and quotation in this assignment from the work or works of other
people has been attributed and has been cited and referenced.
3. This assignment is my own work
4. I have not allowed and will not allow anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as
his or her own work
5. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment or parts of it is wrong and declare that this
assignment is my own work.
Signature VC MATHYE
Date 21 May 2021
,2
CONTENTS
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Background study……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3-5
LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………………………………………………………………5-13
Research Question and Sub-questions…………………………………………………………………….. 14
Research design………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
Research methodology………………………………………………………….………………………………….. 17
Population………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Sample………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Sampling Technique……………………………………………………………………………….………………………..17
Research Instruments……………………………………………………………………………………………………18-20
Procedure of data collection……………………………………………………….……………………………………20
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………..20-21
Reliability and Validity………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………………………………………………………22-23
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23
REFERENCE LIST ………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………24
APPENDIX 1…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...24-28
, 3
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to highlight the differences in attitudes towards African
Gender Roles between males and females. I will begin by describing how gender
was portrayed and to determine how gender roles are depicted and defined.
Background of study
This study was based on the symbolic interaction theory of gender that suggests
that social roles are learned over time and are subject to constant reinforcement.
The significance of this study was derived from the broad topic of gender, because
gender issues are relevant to a variety of fields and exploring the effects of gender in
one field contributes to the understanding of gender in another field. For a clear
understanding of our given topic I will be looking back into how gender roles were
formed and what influenced these roles before I can begin my research on the
attitudes of both males and females towards gender roles.
What are gender roles?
Gender roles in society means how we're expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and
conduct ourselves based upon our assigned sex. For example, girls and women are
generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite,
accommodating, and nurturing. When it comes to spheres of influence in an
individual’s life, the nuclear family exerts the most influence. This, according to
Cipriani, Guiliano & Jeanne (2013), is evident in the fact that social scientists
generally view the family as the primary determinant of an individual’s personality,
beliefs, and values. The family plays an active role in an individual’s life by
consciously socialising the individual to cultural traits; something which (in the
African family context) is mostly done by female guardians (Cipriani et al, 2013).
In society, men and women are allocated different roles (Mudiare, 2013). According
to Steele & Barling (1996, p. 639), gender roles can be defined as “prescriptive
beliefs about appropriate gender behaviour and can be viewed along a continuum
ranging from traditional to feminist”. These beliefs about appropriate gender
behaviour have a pervasive influence in multiple spheres of an individual’s life and it
is what shapes these attitudes about gender roles. This ranges from beliefs about
one’s academic abilities (Steele & Barling, 1996), acceptance of adultery and
spousal violence (Mudiare, 2013), to even many working women being required to
do a “second shift” when they get home after work (Scott & Clery, 2013). All of the
above are influenced by perceptions of gender roles.
V.C Mathye
COURSE CODE: HRPYC81
ASSIGNMENT: 16
Unique number: 649704
STUDENT NUMBER: 51286033
DATE: 21 May 2021
ASSIGNMENT 4803 :
difference(s) and/or similarity(ies)
between males’ and females’ perceptions
relating to traditional gender roles
………………………………………………………………………………………………
PLAGIARISM DECLARATION
1. I know that plagiarism is wrong. Plagiarism is using another's work and pretending that it is one's own
work.
2. I have used the American Psychological Association as the convention for citation and referencing
each significant contribution to and quotation in this assignment from the work or works of other
people has been attributed and has been cited and referenced.
3. This assignment is my own work
4. I have not allowed and will not allow anyone to copy my work with the intention of passing it off as
his or her own work
5. I acknowledge that copying someone else’s assignment or parts of it is wrong and declare that this
assignment is my own work.
Signature VC MATHYE
Date 21 May 2021
,2
CONTENTS
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3
Background study……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3-5
LITERATURE REVIEW………………………………………………………………………………………………………5-13
Research Question and Sub-questions…………………………………………………………………….. 14
Research design………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 15
Research methodology………………………………………………………….………………………………….. 17
Population………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Sample………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Sampling Technique……………………………………………………………………………….………………………..17
Research Instruments……………………………………………………………………………………………………18-20
Procedure of data collection……………………………………………………….……………………………………20
Data Analysis…………………………………………………………………………….…………………………………..20-21
Reliability and Validity………………………………………………………………………………………………………22
Ethical Considerations……………………………………………………………………………………………………22-23
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………23
REFERENCE LIST ………………………………………………………………………………………..……………………24
APPENDIX 1…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...24-28
, 3
Introduction
The purpose of this study was to highlight the differences in attitudes towards African
Gender Roles between males and females. I will begin by describing how gender
was portrayed and to determine how gender roles are depicted and defined.
Background of study
This study was based on the symbolic interaction theory of gender that suggests
that social roles are learned over time and are subject to constant reinforcement.
The significance of this study was derived from the broad topic of gender, because
gender issues are relevant to a variety of fields and exploring the effects of gender in
one field contributes to the understanding of gender in another field. For a clear
understanding of our given topic I will be looking back into how gender roles were
formed and what influenced these roles before I can begin my research on the
attitudes of both males and females towards gender roles.
What are gender roles?
Gender roles in society means how we're expected to act, speak, dress, groom, and
conduct ourselves based upon our assigned sex. For example, girls and women are
generally expected to dress in typically feminine ways and be polite,
accommodating, and nurturing. When it comes to spheres of influence in an
individual’s life, the nuclear family exerts the most influence. This, according to
Cipriani, Guiliano & Jeanne (2013), is evident in the fact that social scientists
generally view the family as the primary determinant of an individual’s personality,
beliefs, and values. The family plays an active role in an individual’s life by
consciously socialising the individual to cultural traits; something which (in the
African family context) is mostly done by female guardians (Cipriani et al, 2013).
In society, men and women are allocated different roles (Mudiare, 2013). According
to Steele & Barling (1996, p. 639), gender roles can be defined as “prescriptive
beliefs about appropriate gender behaviour and can be viewed along a continuum
ranging from traditional to feminist”. These beliefs about appropriate gender
behaviour have a pervasive influence in multiple spheres of an individual’s life and it
is what shapes these attitudes about gender roles. This ranges from beliefs about
one’s academic abilities (Steele & Barling, 1996), acceptance of adultery and
spousal violence (Mudiare, 2013), to even many working women being required to
do a “second shift” when they get home after work (Scott & Clery, 2013). All of the
above are influenced by perceptions of gender roles.
