AGENTS VS CONTROL
WORDS - AARON NEWTON
Gender stereotypes have long permeated societies across the world, shaping expectations, opportunities, and behaviours for both men and women. Deeply ingrained in cultural and social narratives, these stereotypes significantly impact individuals and communities. The episode discusses various research studies and examples showing how gender stereotypes, norms, and biases affect women's opportunities, freedoms, and empowerment. These stereotypes can contribute to power imbalances, perpetuate harmful beliefs, and create an environment where violence is more likely to occur.
SO, WHAT IS GASLIGHTING?
Psychological abuse is when someone uses words, actions, or behaviour to hurt another person emotionally or mentally. Unlike other forms of abuse, psychological abuse does not necessarily leave visible scars, making it insidious and challenging to detect. 'Gaslighting' is a form of psychological abuse where someone manipulates a person into doubting their perceptions, memories, and sanity. Gaslighting is used to control or limit a partner and can be linked to stereotypes in various ways. It often involves manipulating a person's perception of reality and reinforcing certain beliefs or expectations.
GENDER STEREOTYPES AND THEIR IMPACTS
A stereotype is a fixed and oversimplified idea or belief about a particular group of people. Stereotype threat is a psychological phenomenon where individuals, often belonging to groups that face negative stereotypes, may experience anxiety or fear of confirming those stereotypes. In simpler terms, it's the worry that you might act in a way that supports a stereotype about your group. Stereotypes like 'men are better at math' effect expectations from an early age.
Mondschein, Adolph and Tamis-LeMonda's (2000) experiment involved parents estimating the crawling abilities of their infants. Despite the researchers finding no inherent gender differences in the infants' performances and parental expectations, parents consistently overestimated boys' capabilities and underestimated girls. This phenomenon suggests that gendered expectations are projected onto children from a very young age, contributing to the formation of societal norms surrounding gender roles.
Transitioning to academic settings, Igno, Onu and Obiyo's (2015) study explores the impact of stereotype threats on students' performance in math and problem-solving tests. The results indicated how preconceived notions about gender differences in cognitive abilities can significantly affect test outcomes. Even when students were not explicitly given biased messages, the study reveals stereotypes that continue associating male students with mathematical achievement.
An experiment involving female students preparing for a challenging math test highlights the psychological burden imposed by stereotypes. The study reveals that when female students read an article dispelling the stereotype that men outperform women in math, their test scores significantly improved. This finding underscores the detrimental impact of stereotype threat on the performance of individuals, regardless of their actual capabilities. In addition, a study employing brain scans and trigger words like "irrational" and "illogical" reveals how women attempting a math test under stereotype threat experience cognitive strain. The effort to suppress negative thoughts about their abilities consumes working memory, ultimately affecting their test performance.
In essence, these experiments collectively emphasise that stereotypes, particularly those related to gender and cognitive abilities, play a substantial role in shaping women's confidence, self-perception, experiences and actual performance.
They contribute to psychological burdens and manifest physiologically, affecting cognitive functions and test outcomes. Recognising and addressing these stereotypes is crucial for creating an environment that supports equal opportunities and empowers women to thrive without the constraints imposed by societal expectations.
CHALLENGES TO WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT
Implicit bias is the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes shaping our understanding, actions, and decisions. Unlike explicit biases, which are consciously held beliefs, implicit biases operate below the surface, subtly influencing our thoughts and behaviours without our awareness. Implicit biases affect things like the choice of job candidates and attributes considered necessary for leadership roles and disadvantaged women.
A study involving the evaluation of CVs for a leadership position suggests bias, with the gendered nature of job descriptions influencing recommendations.
Implicit biases lurking beneath the surface contribute to systemic inequalities, affecting not only individual decisions but also perpetuating broader gender disparities in professional settings. The disparities in leadership roles, highlighted by the underrepresentation of women, underscore the urgency of reevaluating power dynamics and advocating for equal opportunities across all sectors.
There are still significant gaps for women in attaining senior positions across various sectors. Despite progress in many areas, significant barriers to women's advancement persist. A recent report states that Australia, once ranked 10th worldwide for gender equity, has fallen to the 50th.
Workplace discrimination, lack of equal opportunities, and harassment are formidable obstacles that women face. Issues related to harassment, including sexual harassment, create a hostile environment that can prevent professional growth and erode self-confidence.
EMPOWERING CHANGE
The first step towards creating a more inclusive and equitable environment is recognising that biases operate below our conscious level. We can counteract limiting stereotypes and improve women's outcomes by using simple positive messages about equal capabilities. Positive messaging is crucial in reshaping societal attitudes towards gender roles.
To challenge these ideas, we must learn about where they come from and how they appear in our lives. We can share stories about people who break traditional rules for boys and girls and speak up when we hear unfair language and jokes. Encouraging the representation of different kinds of people in movies, ads, and stories helps change how we see boys and girls.
We must be aware of our biases and work to change them. Supporting rules that treat everyone equally at work or school is another way to help.
Finally, telling kids that everyone, regardless of their gender, can do anything they want is a significant step in achieving equality. Overall, it takes everyone working together to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their gender, feel happy and supported in pursuing what they want to do.
Change takes time, but education, awareness, and calling out controls over women's freedoms can drive empowerment. The power of positive narratives and mindful communication shifts collective effort toward fostering inclusivity and equality.
By collectively challenging ingrained biases and celebrating women's achievements, society can move towards a more inclusive and equitable future where gender should never be a barrier to success and fulfilment.
Click on the link to read more about gaslighting in romantic relationships or Gender Stereotyping as a human rights violation.
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