Primary Socialization and the Perception of Gender Roles: Study of Children in Selected Households and Schools.
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2002-09
Authors
Bammeke, F
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Primary socialization is significant because it begins at birth and continues through infancy when the individual is very impressionable. Images confronted by individuals in childhood remain with them and often form the basis of their behaviour in adulthood. This study seeks to ascertain the influence of primary socialization on individuals' perception of gender roles. It uses a sample of 452 children randomly selected from households and schools in Badagry and Surulere local government areas of Lagos State, as part of data collected for the study on Gender, Household Headship and Children's Educational Performance. The study examines the children's understanding and perception of gender roles. The findings of the study show that not only do children go through gender learning; they are socialized into gender roles and cannot but allocate and define roles and responsibilities in terms of gender. The results further show that children allocate the performance of capital-based responsibilities to men and identify them as household heads while the performance of household chores are allocated to women and other females in the household. The study concludes that the gender role differentiation already learnt by the children is likely to stay with them and inform their future values, decisions and all kinds of gendered behaviour. It recommends that to minimize or eliminate gender disparity or inequality, agents of socialization must make conscious efforts to correct the images that have been created of men and women and the roles they are expected to perform.
Description
Keywords
Socialization - Primary , Childhood , Adolescent , Adult , Gender , Family - Headship
Citation
Bammeke, F. (2002). Primary socialization and the perception of gender roles: study of children in selected households and schools. Paper presented at the 3rd International Conference of the National Association of Women Academics (NAWACS) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.