8-1 Project 3: Final Reflection Submission Assignment
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SCS100Project3PresentationExemplar2.pptxGender Stereotypes
Jane Student Southern New Hampshire University
Social Scientific Question:
How do cognitive biases influence our behaviors to adhere to gender stereotypes?
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Why is my question important?
Cognitive biases impact our perception
Our perception influences assumptions we make about others
Assumptions we make about others influence our behaviors
These behaviors are common and I often engage in them without awareness
Cognitive biases impact our perception of others. We have learned throughout this course that our perception influences the assumptions we make about individuals and groups of people, which in turn influences our behavior. The question of “how do cognitive biases influence our behaviors to adhere to gender stereotypes?” is important because it begins to question why we do what we do. It is important to me as a member of society because I engage in behaviors that are congruent with gender stereotypes and I want to understand the motivation behind these behaviors. I would use this information to make an informed decision about continuing to act in congruence with these stereotypes.
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Major Developments in Social Science: Individual
1956 – Cognitive Psychology (History of Psychology Timeline – Module Three)
Research about perception
Discovery of cognitive biases
Understanding how these cognitive biases influence our behavior
Major developments within the social sciences have changed the way we study individuals. According to the History of Psychology Timeline in Module Three, cognitive psychology, which was created in 1956, is focused on cognitive states and studying concepts like cognitive biases. It was the development of this subfield that led to key understanding of how our brains process and perceive and how unconscious biases influence our behavior.
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Major Developments in Social Science: Others
Globalization – Research being done in different cultures allows us to understand gender inequality in other parts of the world. (Module Three overview)
Technology – New technology allows us to get news stories from around the world very quickly, and we can read about gender inequality like in the story of Malala, the girl who was shot for wanting to go to school. (Module Three overview)
Myths of racial differences are debunked. (Sociology and Anthropology Timeline – Module Three)
Research can be a form of social activism. (Sociology and Anthropology Timeline – Module Three)
There have been major developments within the field of social science that have impacted the way groups of people have been studying. Gender inequality within the United States is an important topic, but it is also important to look outside of the United States. In the Module Three overview, globalization and technology were discussed. We learned that globalization has led to more research being done in other countries, and new technology has led to us learning about news stories all over the globe. These advancements have allowed us to read about stories like that of Malala, who was shot because she was a girl who wanted to go to school. These major developments have made it possible for us to see the importance of social science research that focuses on gender equality. In the Sociology and Anthropology Timeline in Module Three, we learned that towards the middle of the twentieth century, myths of racial difference were debunked by sociologists and anthropologists in North America. These research findings are major developments that were the foundation for policy change that called for greater equality. The timeline also highlights the current notion that research can be a form of social activism.
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Major Developments in Social Science: Methods
Technology advancements – Neuroimaging allows us to better understand how brain processes are involved in concepts like prejudice. (Module Three overview)
Trend toward equality – Allows for researchers to focus on important questions like understanding gender inequality. (American Psychological Association – Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major)
Social scientific research has changed in the face of globalization and new technology. The Module Three overview describes how neuroimaging techniques have led to advancements in identifying structures of the brain associated with perception, love, altruism, and aggression. Therefore, new neuroimaging technology is a major development within the social sciences that has led to us understanding concepts like prejudice and identifying cognitive biases. An overall general trend toward equality is highlighted in the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major Goal 3: Ethical and Social Responsibility in a Diverse World. A trend in social science toward greater equality allows for researchers to focus on important questions like understanding gender inequality.
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Importance of Finding the Answer: Why Should We Care?
Create a better understanding of why we do what we do
Without conscious awareness, we can jump to conclusions without objective evidence
Understanding why we engage in gender stereotypes might allow us to make changes to our behavior
Finding the answer could be useful to:
Individuals – why do I behave the way I do?
Couples – how gender stereotypes play out in different relationships
Families – how parents can impact gender stereotypes
Businesses - gender inequality still exists
Finding the answer to this question would be beneficial to all members of society because it would create a better understanding of why we do what we do. Without conscious awareness of our own biases and the shortcuts our brain makes, we can jump to conclusions without the right evidence. Understanding why we engage in gender stereotypes might allow us to make changes to our behavior if we do not wish to perpetuate certain stereotypes. This information would be useful to individuals, families, couples, and even businesses. Gender differences are present within leadership positions in businesses. This information may be useful to understanding why businesses and corporations continue to act in congruence with gender stereotypes and why women continue to be left out of positions of power.
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Importance of Studying Human Behavior
Importance of recognizing potential for prejudice and discrimination in oneself and others (American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major Goal 3, guideline 3.3b)
Importance of being able to articulate psychology’s role in developing, designing, and disseminating public policy (American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major Goal 3, guideline 3.3e)
First – Studying human behavior leads to recognition of one’s own and others’ prejudices
Second – The information learned about prejudice can be disseminated to inform public policy change and hopefully contribute to the betterment of society
The American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major Goal 3, guideline 3.3b, describes the importance of recognizing potential for prejudice and discrimination in oneself and others, and 3.3e explains the importance of being able to articulate psychology’s role in developing, designing, and disseminating public policy. These guidelines highlight the importance of studying human behavior. First, studying human behavior leads to recognition of one’s own prejudices, for example, continuing to behave in ways that perpetuate current stereotypes. Second, studying human behavior can also lead to changing and developing public policy, which means the information learned about prejudice can be disseminated to inform public policy change and hopefully contribute to the betterment of society.
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