The Role of Gender in Everyday Life

The gender of an individual is a vital component of their everyday life. Gender affects the approach taken when individuals interact with each other, how individuals dress, and what occupation an individual may select. The acquisition of gender identity begins immediately when a child is born through observations made by the infant. The young child instantly interprets their surroundings and caregivers; as a result, the infant begins to form a trust relationship with those surrounding them (Cook, 2005, p. 12). Many gender assumptions are made regarding the methods employed when individuals are caring for the infant. Such assumptions act as a template for infants in their lives and are utilized when forming relationships with other individuals.

    As a child begins to grow and mature, they become extremely involved in their body and the new functions they are able to take part in. Interest in one’s body begins early in life; consequently, many infants spend numerous hours watching adult’s activity and attempt to manipulate their own hands and feet to mimic their motions. As time passes, children begin to learn how to walk, talk, run, and climb (Pruitt, 1998, p. 105). Each of these activities is learned through emulation of observed behaviors. According to Albert Bandura, children learn by social learning or by observing and imitating the actions they watch other individuals display. Such behaviors of impersonating have been found present in infants (Cook, 2005, p.13). When a mother smiles at her young infant, the infant will attempt to smile in return. Mimicking behaviors are the methods utilized by children in an attempt to learn how to function in an adult world. Children similarly learn their gender by imitating the actions they observe by those individuals of similar gender.  

            Individuals world-wide participate in actions deemed appropriate for their specific gender. Matlin (2004) asserts that “gender messages [are given] to others through factors such as our appearance, tone of voice, and conversation” (p. 4). Gender is a component of everyday life and it is vital that individuals world-wide begin to question and assert their identity as male or female. From various research, Cook (2004) describes the achievement of gender as a process with three diverse stages. By the age of two-and-a-half, a child is able to identify and categorize gender. The next stage, gender stability, is reached when the child comprehends the permanent nature of gender, which usually occurs around the ages of four and five. Lastly, gender consistency is attained when the child is six or seven. At this stage, the child is able to understand that gender is consistent with outward appearances (p. 339). Thus, gender is a complex process that begins early in childhood and through development has a profound effect upon an individuals life.