For example, if a young girl walks into class with a feminine walk she will be rewarded with compliments and acceptance by her fellow classmates. If a young boy comes walking into class with a feminine walk he will be shunned and most likely bullied by his classmates (Hetherington Park, 2003). .
A third source of social influence on gender roles is the media. Many television programs and movies portray men as independent, aggressive and logical. Women are portrayed as being dependent on men, passive and emotional. The only times gender roles are portrayed differently is in a negative light, to mock the person who is not acting according their assigned gender role. Research has found a correlation between the amount of television people watch and the degree to which they closely follow the behaviors of their gender. A recent study found that children that had access to multiple TV channels were more likely to more closely follow the behavior of their gender than those children who had limited access to TV (AQA Psychology, 2013). The gender-specific behaviors that are considered appropriate will vary depending on the nationality and culture in which the person is raised. In the United States, boys are encouraged to be more masculine, to have "tough guy" traits. Heterosexual men in the United States are not going to be seen walking arm in arm with a friend, no matter how good a friend it is. However, in some Asian countries, such as South Korea, it is not uncommon to see two older gentlemen walking arm in arm down a street. The social influence on gender roles does not typically cause enough psychological harm to an individual to warrant any intervention or therapy. However, if a person feels unable to cope with the influence or wants to learn how to break free of them, going to a professional who can help will reduce the stress of anxiety they are experiencing.
Eating Disorders.
