Chapter 5

Lecture Notes

In recent decades, there has been a significant shift toward more flexibility in gender roles. Traditional hierarchical gender roles is when one sex is subordinate to the other. Egalitarian roles are when both sexes are treated equally. Androgynous roles are when both sexes display the instrumental and expressive traits previously associated with one sex .

Although women's roles have changed more than men's, men's are also changing, and these changes seem to affect all socioeconomic classes. Contemporary gender roles are evolving from traditional hierarchical gender roles to egalitarian and androgynous roles, displaying a combination of traits from each type. These changes are influenced by individual differences, situations,and stages in life.

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