What Is Expected of a Male in Terms of Appearance and Behavior - Essay Example

Essay Social stereotype for what is expected of a male in terms of appearance and behavior Despite the fact that we tried to create unorthodox society with an independent existence of every personality there are some points which do not give a full freedom for our outlook and behavior. Usually we call it stereotypes. Due to Tritt (1) stereotypes function for proper organizing of social environment and prevent people from being encumbered by the intricacy of social information what we collide in daily routine. The essential part of this stereotyping is further implications. People usually judge other people due to these stereotypic rules which are reposed in our nature and are intruded by social prevalence. Some stayed patterns of behavior and ways of outlook are existed in today’s world. A huge number of them belong to gender distinction. According to Begley (66-67) types of behavior and representing of appearance provide a strong division of people in the male and female accordance. He also suggests that stereotypes constitute a trap in which people may fall down. And people really get caught by this trap. The question is what is happened when a person do not follow some stereotypic pattern? And are the implications positive or it leads to some problems in relations with society? Let us take an image of a man in today’s world. Rudman and Glick (30-32) argued that a male representative should be independent and strong. It is the one who protects weak gender and provides woman with a support and huge shoulder. It considered being strong stereotypical pattern of male representatives. It goes though the history and is laid genetically in our minds. Our brain computer is reflected it as a general stereotype, a rule which every men are to follow. And if some features of cowardice or timidity are occurred in the actions of male representatives it causes disapproval and disfavor of the society. Moreover, it may provoke scoffing of different kinds. Such displays of people’s perception lead to distraction of personality and even to mental problems. It may generate inner complexes and close personality to communication with people. Normal existence of such person becomes impossible and he is needed some psychological support in this case. Also, it is widely known that activities and hobbies have some gender division. It is not strict and everyone is free to do and be engaged by everything he likes. Still, some male and female preferences are reflected in the activities we go in for. Everyone agrees that embroidery, shopping, figure skating and fashion belongs to more women interests and it is female occupations mostly. While football, wrestling, carpenter work or racing games are related to male occupations and men pertain to these kinds of pastime mostly. It cannot but mentioned that some exceptions are occurred and there are no animadversion to them. Still, let us imagine the situation that you are a man who is successful businessman and attends gum twice a week and so on. Try to tell your friend that you like cross stitching and it is your new hobby. The first reaction will be a big and loud laugh authentically. It will be strange and unusual for people that serious, independent businessman likes to occupy female affair in his free time. It may not cause strong censure but it definitely provokes some derides in your surroundings. The other bright example is related to the sphere of sport. It is naturally for men to go in for sport, like it and observe it. Male representatives are to be strong and healthy, because their function to protect women. Sport is considered to be an instrument which helps to achieve this goal. And it is unwritten general rule that successful man should deal with some sports activities. It can be attending gym of playing football/basketball, or morning run. Any known sport activity is accepted here. However, if you are not good in sport you have a small chance to be fully successful representative of society. For example, let us move to a school years practice. All media and real life experience show that boys who take part a different sports competitions or play at a school basketball team are always more popular and prosperous than the others. It is prevailing stereotype and no one is interested that your inner vocation is to play a violin or make dolls. People want you to be usual strong man, so satisfy their appetites or be a looser in comparison to others. Another social stereotype is that men like watching sport games with drinking a lot of beer. It should be regarded as a true notion. Still, some exceptions are existed. And if overseeing of sport games is not interesting to you it may lead to some negative implications. You can find yourself out of the social circle and feel uncomfortable because of this. As your interests do not coincide with the interests of your friends you may have nothing to talk with them and frameworks of friendship may be broken (Rudman and Glick, 104-105). That leads to damage of normal environment of the individuality and to loneliness of a person. One more essential stereotypic point is that male representatives should be independent and are to make decisions and resolve problems without the assistance of other people, especially women. True man according to the social measures is the head of the family and generator of money and abundance in the kindred. That is why his decisions are of s big importance and value. Moreover, he is responsible to solve earnest problems without woman implications and interventions. Male representative may feel defective and uncomfortable if women suppress their rights and admit decisions important for them. This point is naturally laid to males’ interpretation of the world. What is more man who is followed decisions of his woman may seem to be a henpecked for a society. He may suffer from mockeries of his friends and closest encirclement, and feel inadequate according to the society norms. Also, it is essential for men to produce higher income than women may do. If it is not so people may condemn it and make gossips. That infringes personality of a man and leads to complexes and problems in the family. This is the reason of altercation among people in the family and sometimes it causes moral misunderstanding and even divorces. What is obligatory to mention is appearance of the male half of humanity. New era of fashion and outlook is coming. It may seem that all stereotypes of men outlook are broken. Today’s society allows looking the way you like and do with your appearance all what you want. Still, some ‘but’ is obtained. A strong division of clothes for men and women are existed. It is ridiculous for men to wear dresses or skirts for example. These impulses are regarded as transvestite ones and are discriminated by society in many cases. Nevertheless, fashion industry creates clothes and haircuts for men which may contain feminine features. It is rather popular nowadays to wear skinny jeans and fitting shirts together with the styling hair with contains a lot of hair mousse and varnish. Men in twenty-first century also want to be stylish and fashionable. This responds to male consuetude to become womanish and sweet. Their appearance changes their inner world somehow. That may result to negative social apprehension and further problems. The other side of appearance stereotypes is proper closing in proper situations. It is regulated by social norms and is accepted by people. These norms go through the history and are not under discussion. It is clear that men are needed to visit formal meeting or engage in business affairs in official suit or at least in pants and shirt. All informal dressing is prohibited. This is the norm and everyone should follow it to prevent ridicule and negative aftermaths of other people. All in all stereotypes is one of the mandatory parts in human beings. They are broken and changed through the history of humanity but still have a right to exist. There are some straightforward expectations from men, based on society rules and prejudices. It is reasonable to follow them for being a successful member of social group. Reference List: Carducci, B. J. The Psychology of Personality: Viewpoints, Research, and Applications. 2nd edition, USA: Graphicraft Limited. 2009 Newsweek. Gender Stereotypes: Masculinity and Femininity. The Stereotype Trap. November 6, 2000. Allowed in: http://www.feminish.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Brannon_ch07.pdf Rudman, L. A. and Glick, P. The Social Psychology of Gender: How Power and Intimacy Shape Gender Relations. New York: The Guilford Press. 2008. Tritt, S. M. Stereotyping and Society: A Barrier of Achieving Social Equality. Spring 2009. Allowed in: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/opticon1826/archive/Issue6/LS_Tritt_Equality.pdf Read More