CHFD307 Week 6 Discussion

In our society, both gender and peer groups play a vital role in the developing child’s life.

Please talk about how gender roles influence the developing child, cognitively, physically, and social/emotionally. Is gender biological or is it influenced by society? In other words, is gender created by nature or nurture? What sources can you cite to defend your statements?

Peer groups, particularly in middle childhood and adolescence are often greatly influenced by and formed around gender. What is the importance of a peer group? How does being involved in one (or not) impact growth and development in all the domains? [Cognitive, physical, and social/emotional] What sources can you cite to defend your statements?

Student #1:

Gender roles influence the developing child because its one of the ways that children and adolescents learn how gender plays the specific role in society. According to Lesson 6 (n.d.), cultures all over the world seem to agree with the norms of what gender takes on what role. Males seem to take on the role of dominance, being competitive, and show more aggression. On the other hand, women seem to be more caring, sensitive, and more friendly and open with others (Lesson 6, n.d.). Gender is a bit influenced by both, biological and by the society. This is because males and females tend to have some of the same biological norms when it comes to testosterone and estrogen levels, in which no one person has control over. From a societal standpoint, as children become adolescents, they often choose to follow stereotypes and give in to peer and family members that influence them socially (Burn, O’Neil, & Nederend, 1996). Society, and families especially, play a huge role in shaping a child’s perspective and what gender roles they take on as they continue to grow and develop.

The importance of peer groups is that they help to increase a child or adolescents’ development by increasing the way they learn. According to Lesson 6 (n.d), at a young age, children tend to have play groups, which increases their playful skills and how they interact with other children. Having a peer group can increase a child’s emotional well-being by allowing them to have someone to speak with rather they have good or bad experiences to talk about. Not having a peer group can also affect them emotionally because without having someone to interact with, they could become depressed or emotionally detached from those around them (Lesson 6, n.d.). When a person becomes lonely, they have unpleasant thoughts that have an effect on how they interact with others in their surroundings. These issues only increase into larger problems for individuals and become society’s issues later on.

Student #2:

To me gender roles start the day children are born. Once a parent determines if a child is a boy or a girl they start to find clothes and toys that fit the sex on a child. To me gender roles is something that is created by society. For example, if two boys are playing roughly people will say boys will be boys and they will more than likely go on playing. However, if this is done by a girl most people will deem this a completely inappropriate and for bid those girls from playing in such a manner. Why you may ask that is just the way society works, and this things have been passed down on to us for so long that our brains and think a certain way about gender and never question it. For instance, if a boy picks up a doll to play with most parents will tell that boy no that they should play with it, it is just a piece of plastic children do not know the difference between toys. I believe are the same if a girl shows interests in a more masculine activities, parents will try to find them something that is more appropriate for girls. However, gender does help child fit in to the world, finding things that they in common with other people helps them develop socially and fit and how they fit into the world.

Peer group are vital to middle adults because, it is one of the most important part if their social life. As this time they’re spending less time with their family and more time trying to find their place in life. Good peer groups can help them find quality friends and help them explore ideas with people like themselves , lack of a strong peer group can cause concern regarding the full, healthy development in a teen.

Minimum 150 words answer to each.