Gender Differences in Our Society
The study published by Eurekalert! The Global Source for Science News entitled "Women most effective leaders for today's world" (2003) states that according to the findings of a study in Psychological Bulletin, 129(3), a meta-analysis indicates that "on average, women in management positions are somewhat better leaders than men in equivalent positions." In my own personal experience, I have found that I can agree with this finding but only in certain situations: in some of the places where I have worked, I have found the women managers are more effective but in other places where I have worked, I've preferred men leaders. The context, I think, is important and I do not feel that both genders are equally effective at all leadership positions across the board.
In my field observation of my friend, a girl my own age, I asked how her gender impacted her experiences at school, work, in relationships, life expectations, self-image, appreciation of art, what she liked in art, why she found it significant, and whether she felt free to express herself. When it came to how gender impacted her experiences at work and school she said she...
I asked her to clarify and she would not say anymore. In relationships, she gave the same suggestive comment but again would not elaborate. Her
mood was coy. As for expectations in life, she said she did not think about it but asserted that men and women should have the same expectations. Self-image, however, did generate a fuller response: she asserted that it was hard to be a girl because
society places so many demands on you -- you have to be pretty, or you have to be strong, or you have to be thin, or you have to be a feminist. She said she never felt that she had to be any of these things, though she did want to be attractive for her boyfriend. She felt that her self-image was mainly defined by what she valued in life, which was her
family and friends and being in
love with life. She could not think of any artistic expressions that she found meaningful -- so I offered some suggestions, such as
music or books or films -- and she said…
