How do our attitudes impact our view of gender?How does personal belief impact our view of normal and abnormal?In what ways does culture play a role in our perceptions of gender?Why might someone be uncomfortable validating an individual's gender expression? In what ways can one validate an individual's gender expression?How does the concept of gender dysphoria apply to any of the following programmatic themes? You may want to review the Programmatic Themes PDF document.Self-careSocial justiceEmotional intelligenceCareer connectionsEthics

"Disclaimer - Please note that we have answered the first four questions for you. Since the last question requires a resource which was not provided by the student, it has not been attempted." Gender is the cultural and social term given on the basis of gender roles - what behaviour or activities should men and women do. These gender roles are often considered to go hand in hand with the sex of the individual i.e. a person born with female genitalia must have the way a woman does and likewise for men. However, gender and sex do not go hand in hand. The gender that an individual chooses to identify with may not always be the same as his sex because gender is a social construct. It is often observed that individuals (even as young as the age of 7 or 10) can understand if their gender is not the same as their sex. When younger, they may not know the technical jargon for this but one might hear a boy, for example, say "I don't feel like a boy. I feel like a girl." or "I am a girl" and see him engage in behaviour that is usually associated with women like wearing dresses, painting nails, effeminate gestures and so forth. In such cases, the individual is known as transgender. Needless to say, gender is a spectrum. 1. Our attitudes do impact our view on gender. Our attitudes are a result of various factors that have influenced us over a period of time. The way we think, feel, and respond to gender is a result of a combination of the factors. An individual with a negative attitude has been exposed to a certain line of thought and is more likely to be closed-minded and so will view gender as a binary construct that is predisposed. On the other hand, a person with a positive attitude, who is open-minded, will be open to accepting the different kinds of information that exists about gender and will find it much easier to see gender as a non-binary and social construct that does not come predisposed. 2. Much like attitude, personal belief is also a result of various factors, however, the end result is at a junction of information attained from society and the exercise of one's own cognition which includes logical thinking, analytical reasoning, empathy, kindness etc. What is considered normal and abnormal is initially understood as a result of the way society responds to it. Stealing is abnormal behaviour but helping a blind man cross the street is normal. It often works on a rewards and punishment system wherein the behaviour of a person is aligned with what is considered right or wrong by society. However, the older people grow, they learn to use the knowledge that they have and use it to think for themselves. Slowly and gradually, the understanding of normal and abnormal starts to change. For instance, gender fluidity would have been considered an abnormal concept by someone who wasn't well educated or aware in the area of gender studies but if this person does educate himself on it, he will perceive gender fluidity as a normal concept. 3. Culture plays a big role in the way we perceive gender. Culture is defined as how individuals or groups behave in a community, the food that they eat, the language spoken, the clothing, and the norms and traditions followed. The culture of a place is a reminder to people of their roots and instils in them a desire to carry forward traditions that are considered important. Let us consider religion, for instance. People who come from religions where gender is a binary construct will have a difficult time accepting any other ideology. In fact, this will even make them discriminate against those who go against their beliefs. As stated before, there is a strong need a people to carry forward their culture, and anything that challenges that can be seen as a threat. Having said this, this influence works the other way as well. If a person is living or has lived in a culture that is accepting of others and is more open-minded, they are also likely to have a similar outlook. 4. A person can feel uncomfortable while validating someone else's gender expression because it goes against what they know and what they believe in. For the longest time, the information on gender was limited. Additionally, given the reputation, a lot of people would proactively discourage conversations around gender. This led to a decrease in awareness. This led to an increase in the number of people who grew up not only with limited knowledge but also with a certain negative and rigid attitude towards gender. Like how it is with most human behaviour, any new information that goes against an individual's personal belief is seen as a threat. Since this information is going to be perceived as threatening, a person with a closed mind will refuse to validate other people's gender expression because he doesn't think that that is right. One way that a person can validate another's gender is by simply listening to them and acknowledging what they are saying. Sometimes that is the most that we can do to make someone feel heard, especially in this circumstance given that their battle with society is more difficult than our battle with an ideology. Secondly, keep an open mind. It is advisable in general that one should be as open-minded as possible because it leads to us acquiring different perceptions and therefore makes us more empathetic. These are some ways in which one can validate an individual's gender expression.

Answered: How do our attitudes impact our view of…

Ciccarelli: Psychology_5 (5th Edition)

5th Edition

ISBN:9780134477961

Author:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White

Publisher:Saundra K. Ciccarelli, J. Noland White

Chapter1: The Science Of Psychology

Section: Chapter Questions

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How do our attitudes impact our view of gender?
How does personal belief impact our view of normal and abnormal?
In what ways does culture play a role in our perceptions of gender?
Why might someone be uncomfortable validating an individual's gender expression? In what ways can one validate an individual's gender expression?
How does the concept of gender dysphoria apply to any of the following programmatic themes? You may want to review the Programmatic Themes PDF document.
- Self-care
- Social justice
- Emotional intelligence
- Career connections
- Ethics