Gender Differences in Aggression

Gender Differences in Aggression

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Gender Differences in Aggression

Discuss how each perspective would explain this relationship

Socio–cultural

According to Anderson & Bushman (2002) certain socio-cultural factors may play an important role in shaping the level of aggression across genders. Such factors include male chauvinism and perceived gender roles. Generally, men are perceived to be stronger than women which makes them suitable for most tasks. Women, on the other hand, are perceived as weak and cannot, therefore, assume hard tasks or even take up leadership positions. Based on these perceptions, men are seen as more socially aggressive than women since they have to work industriously to feed their wives. This theory is further substantiated by the fact that most criminals who engage in violent crimes are men, and women only engage in non violent aggression, such as, gossiping (Kleyman, 2000).

Evolutionary

The other perspective that is used by social psychologist to explain the aspect of gender difference as regards to aggression is the evolutionary standpoint. This theory argues that aggression is inheritable and acquirable from the environment in which a person resides (Pinel, 2013). According to this theoretical view point, men are generally aggressive due to their desire to protect their families. Women, on the other hand, are less aggressive since they must not actively protect themselves and their families like men do. The environment in which a person is predisposed to also plays an important role in shaping a person’s aggressive behavior. Based on this view, men are aggressive because they were in the ancient times predisposed to harsh environments, such as, forests as they went hunting. This is in contrast with women who remained in the house and relied on men for food. This less harsh environment, in turn, causes women to be less aggressive and is passed from one generation to the other.

Social Learning

The other theory that attempts to explain gender based aggressiveness is the social learning which argues that behavior is acquirable and can be transferred from one individual to the other (Pinel, 2013). According to the theory, a person may acquire aggressive behavior from his or her peers in the course of their interaction. If a person, for example, watches another person aggressively doing something, then they are likely to acquire the aggressive behavior from the concerned person. Kleyman (2000) argues that transfer of aggressive behavior from one person to another only occurs between people of the same gender so that a male who observes another male’s aggressive behaviors may adopt such aggressiveness. Because men are more aggressive than women, young men tend to acquire such aggressiveness right from childhood to adulthood.

Social cognitive

Lastly, the social cognitive theory attempts to paint a clear picture of the effect of gender on a person’s levels of aggressiveness. The stated theory argues that people often acquire aggressiveness as a result of observing other people who they perceive as their role models. As regards to male aggressiveness, the theory argues that young males are more aggressive than young women, a situation which is attributed to the fact that male children take after their fathers (Björkqvist, 2017). As male children grow up, they observe their fathers’ behaviors and tend to take after them. In contrast, female children tend to be less aggressive than male children because they tend to copy their mothers. Generally, mothers are less aggressive than fathers which imply that girl children will tend to grow up less aggressively.

Out of these four perspectives share which one you believe has the best explanatory power for explaining why there is a gender difference in aggression

In my opinion, the socio-cultural theory offers a better account regarding the relationship between gender and aggressiveness. This view is informed by the fact that the theory maintains that there is a strong relationship between the gender stereotypes and aggressiveness (Björkqvist, 2017). This reasoning is a strong one because women have for many years been underrated and discriminated by their male counterparts. Such discrimination has resulted in women being viewed as weak leading to assignment of cheap tasks to them. This has, in turn, made them dependent on men who must, therefore, be aggressive enough to satisfy their needs as well as those of their dependents.

Discuss at least three assumptions that this perspective would make in explaining this relationship

One of the assumptions made by this theory is that men are superior to their female counterparts and that they should take up superior jobs and leadership positions (Argosy Online, 2017). However, in as much as this assumption is a strong one since it depicts the society’s view of either gender, in the recent past, women have proved this stereotype false by slowly breaking the glass ceiling. Women who get into leadership positions tend to perform better than men which discredit the presumption that women are weaker than men. The other assumption that this theory makes is that women are more emotional than men which explains why they are less aggressive (Kleyman, 2000). This assumption is, however, false as some researchers have discovered that men are also emotional only that they hide their emotions. Lastly, the theory assumes that men are physically stronger than women and women must always rely on them for protection and overall care (Björkqvist, 2017). This assumption has some truth but may not be directly related to aggressiveness.

Reference

Anderson, C. A., & Bushman, B. J. (2002). Human aggression. Annual Review of Psychology, 53, 27-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/205753750?accountid=34899

Argosy Online (2017). Module one overview. Retrieved from: http://myclassroomonline.com

Björkqvist, K. (2017). Gender Differences in Aggression. Current Opinion in Psychology

Kleyman, E. Z. (2000). Gender differences in intensity of emotional response: An evolutionary perspective. (Order No. 9986346, City University of New York). ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, , 164-164 p. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/304586684?accountid=34899. (304586684).

Pinel, J. P. (2013). Biopsychology, 9th Edition. [Argosy University]. Retrieved 7th January 2017 from https://digitalbookshelf.argosy.edu/#/books/9781323123058/