Gender and Emotions

American culture assumes a great difference in the way men and women experience emotions. Women are assumed to be far more emotional than men, both in experiencing the emotions internally, as well as expressing them to the outside world. While the genders may differ in how they express their emotions, men and women do not inherently differ in the frequency of emotionality. Men are not emotionless, and women do not overcompensate for men's lack of emotion. The roots of our ideas about gender and emotion date far back. According to Simon and Nath, "Historians have documented that Americans' beliefs about women's emotionality and men's unemotionality (or emotional reserve) are rooted in the 19th century gender ideologies, which were used to justify the division of labor between women and men that developed during the early stages of industrial capitalism." (p. 13) At this time, women's role was in the household only, caring for the family, which required sensitivity to others. Men, on the other hand, had moved out of the household into the industrial world, and their role of collecting income required a professional, unemotional attitude. However, modern roles have changed for the genders, and women are also involved in the work force, while men are also involved with the family. Simon and Nath then propose that "we continue to believe that women are more emotional than men because they may be more likely than men to express their emotions." (p. 13) Observing the way in which men and women express their emotions reinforce the view that men lack emotion, while women experience emotion frequently. Research suggests that men and women do not experience a noticeable difference in the frequency of their emotions, nor much of a drastic difference in which emotions they experience most of often. Theories exist as to why then does culture continue to assume such a large difference in emotionality. One study, by Robert Fisher and Laurette Dube, looked at whether or not

References: Dube, Laurette, & Fisher, Robert J. (2005).Gender Differences in Response to Emotional Advertising: A Social Desirability Perspective. Journal of Consumer Research, 31, 850-859. Retrieved April 13, 2005, from ProQuest database. Martin, Brett A.S. (2003). The Influence of Gender on Mood Effects in Advertising. Psychology & Marketing, 20, 249-257. Retrieved April 13, 2005, from ProQuest database. Nath, Leda E, & Simon, Robin W. (2004). Gender and Emoiton in the United States: Do Men and Women Differ in Self-Reports of Feelings and Expressive Behavior? The American Journal of Sociology, 109, 1137-1177. Retrieved April 13, 2005, from ProQuest database.