GENDER AND PSYCHOLOGY

A gender role is a theoretical construct in the social sciences and humanities
that refers to a set of social and behavioral norms that, within a specific culture, are
widely considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex.
Socially accepted gender roles differ widely between different cultures. Proponents
of gender role theory assert that observed gender differences in behavior and
personality characteristics are, at least in part, socially constructed, and therefore,
the product of socialization experiences; this contrasts with other models of gender
that assert that gender differences are "essential" to biological sex. Gender
differences exist in almost all societies. With differences in the norms adopted, this
suggests that gender differences are, at least partly, influenced by culture.