Gender identities from everyday social interactions
Interactionist theory argues that people learn their gender identities from everyday social interactions and that the family is the primary source of gender role socialization. Explain some of the ways parents and siblings can teach children gender roles.
First, parents can demonstrate different types of behavior based on their own gender. According to interactionists, boys are more likely to learn aggressive behavior while girls are often taught to be compassionate and nurturing. Through modeling these behaviors and reinforcing them through praise or criticism, parents can shape children’s attitudes about what it means to be male or female.
Second, parents can also use language as a way of teaching gender roles. For example, they might use terms like “he” or “she” when referring to certain objects or activities; this helps children associate certain characteristics with each sex before they even understand the concept of genders. Similarly, using phrases like “real men/women do X” reinforces existing stereotypes about how men and women should behave.
Thirdly, parents can encourage children to engage in different types of play depending on their sex—boys may be encouraged to play rough-and-tumble games such as tag while girls may be pushed towards dolls or puzzles—further emphasizing traditional notions about what constitutes appropriate behavior for each sex.
Finally, siblings may also have an influence on younger brothers or sisters by either perpetuating pre-existing stereotypes (e.g., playing up differences between boys' toys vs those intended for girls) or challenging them (e.g., encouraging her brother to try cooking despite societal expectations). Thus interactionist theory suggests that families have an important role in teaching children how they should act according to their sex: through simple everyday activities such as talking , playing , dressing , etc., adults provide valuable lessons that will guide kids into adulthood and beyond .