Parent training gender norm during through youth age Research Paper

Parent training gender norm during through youth age - Research Paper Example Gender norms are the creation of society as a whole, with the unconscious notions of normal behaviors for the genders begun through the influence of a child’s parental role models. Gender norms begin through the actions of parents to the children. Reactions define how the child will see themselves as either a boy or a girl. Through the purchase of toys, the tone of speech, and even their own role modeling, parents insert their ideas about gender norms into the behaviors of their children. Newman and Newman (2012) discuss the complexity of influences that parents have on their children concerning norms. They state that â€Å"the experience to which they expose them (their children), and the activities in which they encourage their children’s participation all reflect dimensions of the parents’ gender role standards† (Newman & Newman, 2012, p. 245). When children get to school age they have had discipline for gender inappropriate behavior and encouraged to adopt the social standards of behavior that are expected. Gender is an issue of social construction. Although there are many debates on how children are socialized to enact their gender, whether it is biological or strictly psychological, the development of social roles for the genders as a topic has shown that men and women are taught to act different than each other in society. Gender roles are developed through the creation of norms, behaviors, and beliefs about the abilities of a gender to act within society. Social expectations tend to refine those beliefs so that roles can be filled (Munez, 2013). Acculturation occurs within a family where examples and teaching provide young males and females with information about how their gender identifies them within a community. Through the continuation of these beliefs throughout a community, gender norms are created. The use of gender norms as a way in which to calculate behaviors provides the researcher with a