Social Role Theory

As children develop, they begin to look at the larger culture around them and see who occupies what roles in society as well as how these roles are valued. According to Alice Eagly’s social role theory, although the perception of sex differences may be based on some real differences, it is magnified by the unequal social roles that men and women occupy. The process involves three steps. First, through a combination of biological and social factors, a division of labor between the sexes has emerged over time both at home and in the work setting. Men are more likely to work in construction or business; women are more likely to care for children and to take lower-paying jobs. Second, since people behave in ways that fit the roles they play, men are more likely than women to wield physical, social, and economic power. Third, these behavioral differences in turn contrib- ute to the perception of men as dominant and women as domestic “by nature” when in fact the differences may merely reflect the roles they play.

In short, this theory asserts that perceived differences between men and women are based on real behavioral differences that are mistakenly assumed to arise from gender differences rather than the unequal distribution of men and women into different social roles. Social role theory and socialization processes more generally can, of course, be extended beyond gender stereotypes and sex- ism. Seeing what groups of people tend to occupy what roles in society can fuel numerous stereotypes and prejudices.