Cultural Variations

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Cultural Variations in Gender-related behaviour

Mead studied differences in gender roles in three different societies and found there was cultural differences in gender related behaviour

Males and females in the Arapesh society were gentle and cooperative

Males and females in the Mundugamor society behaved in a typical male way

Males and females in the Tchambuli society had distinct gender roles that were opposite of traditional western sex roles

Evaluation

Mead's methods have been criticised for being unscientific

Mead may have been biased

Mead had been accused of exaggeration cultural differences in gender-related behaviour

General notion of cultural differences in gender related development may be correct;

Wade & Tavris (1998) reported cultural differences; for example the status of women is relatively high in Scandinavian countries and very low in Bangladesh

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