Gender Roles in Mass Media
- The History
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There were dramatic mass social and economic changes that emerged post- World War II, with particular influences over the youth and media. The baby boom generation had succumbed to massive growth in household income and therefor exposure to mass advertising. During that same time, researchers were uncovering unhealthy side effects of the media that could affect the development in youth that were exposed, including such mechanisms as modelling, disinhibition, and normalization of antisocial behaviour. Advertising may have further encouraged impulse behaviour that helped to produce today’s obesity epidemic. Giving youth the ability to be able to express themselves in the media raises important questions about how best to educate youth and parents to the potential adverse effects that the new media landscape poses (Jamieson & Romer, 2008).
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The Jack-Pot Market
In the 1950’s advertisers targeted teenagers as a new “Jackpot market”. Given the size of 15 million strong and spending power of $9 billion a year in 1958, the baby boom generation’s consumer spending included grooming products, sporting goods and fashion. This new market and associated cultural effects expanded to most parts of the globe, with lasting changes in how youth are portrayed and considered in the modern economy (Jamieson & Romer, 2008).
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The Film Industry
Films have a massive effect on children, with their content being changed dramatically with the demise of the production code in the 1960’s. This led to large changes in film content and gender and youth representation, Bandura’s social cognitive theory of mass communication is used to explain how such content may influence audiences. Youth and male characters were increasingly represented, increase of violence and sex (Jamieson & Romer, 2008).
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Gender Roles
Gender socialization is the process by which children and youth learn cultural norms and expectations for gender roles. Mass media has played an increasing role in this process, Analyses of media content can reveal how youth have been influenced over time. A review of research indicates that women (including youth) have been under- represented compared to men in the mass media. Television commercials tend to emphasize women’s appearance, and female characters show more deference and shyness compared to males. Music videos have tended to show men as aggressive and violent and women as affectionate and sexual. Teen magazine content for women has focused on appearance and dating since the 1950’s. Magazine advertising has also emphasized female beauty and youthfulness. There has been little change in adolescent gender roles in any of these media. Exposure to these media may contribute to adolescent viewers’ beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors about gender roles (Jamieson & Romer, 2008).
In the 2000s both genders dressed commonly as they both sported jeans and T-shirt (McKergow, 2013).
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History In New Zealand
In the 19th century babies from both genders wore robes as the way girls and boys dressed evolved throughout the century with boys wearing suits and girls wearing dresses (McKergow, 2013). As Europeans settled in New Zealand, Māori began wearing European clothing. Some outfits combined Māori and European styles. In the 2000s traditional Māori cloaks are worn at official occasions such as royal tours. In relation to the identity of New Zealand where the people of the land began to dress in the same wear as the European when the European first settled in New Zealand. The Māori children were westernised by the European culture which also influenced the Māori culture and how the Maori would dress their children which became more stereotypical as time went one (McKergow, 2013). New Zealand is a multi-cultural country with individuals from all over the world living here and with this multi-culturalism forth comes more diverse perspectives. For example in other countries pink and blue have different meanings as these colours are viewed differently as those two gender colours resides in the western world.