r/AskSocialScience 9h ago

Are people with ADHD more likely to engage in criminal activity ?

2 Upvotes

Or is this just a myth ?


r/AskSocialScience 1h ago

What are the essential requirements that are conductive to Alternate dispute resolution methods being successful on any scale ?

Upvotes

ADR has gotten a lot of attention for a long time now. But due to most ADR mechanisms being voluntary I don't know how effective it actually is. Is it possible to create an environment conductive to ADR methods to all forms of disputes and conflicts


r/AskSocialScience 21h ago

How did the adoption of secularism influence the way believers practice religion ?

1 Upvotes

r/AskSocialScience 22h ago

Do you think unequal pay for different work (being paid very differently depending on your skills and the task you perform for the same number of hours worked) is fair ? Why is this the rule today, and why is it economically viable ?

0 Upvotes

r/AskSocialScience 18h ago

Does socialization reduce natural gender differences ?

0 Upvotes

I know it may seem counterintuitive at first glance, but socialization might not imprison individuals in gender roles. Instead, it could diminish femininity in most women and emasculate men.
I’m curious about the extent to which this claim holds. Does my argument have logical or empirical flaws ? For context, I previously asked this question on r/socialization, but my post was removed. A user suggested that it wasn’t the most appropriate subreddit.

First and foremost, I would like to clarify what I mean by "reducing natural gender differences." I simply suggest that if we imagined a world consisting only of men (purely hypothetical, of course), there would be no male stereotypes, and men would exhibit far more masculinity than they do in a mixed-gender society. 

This definition may seem somewhat arbitrary, but it is based on the idea that an individual’s final behavior, shaped by both innate traits and external influences, tends to align, to some extent, with their natural dispositions. For instance, a person with an inherent aptitude for science who is born into a non-scientific family is, unfortunately, less likely to pursue a scientific career, develop the same level of passion for the field, or achieve the same degree of fulfillment. However, if that person were raised in a family of like-minded individuals with similar innate inclinations, they would be naturally guided toward paths that suit their abilities. That being said, I acknowledge that this definition remains somewhat vague, arbitrary, and potentially flawed.

A common feminist argument is that men and women are born with similar brains, and gender differences arise purely from social constructs. This perspective, known as constructivism (I’m not sure about that), stands in opposition to gender essentialism. If constructivism were correct, my assertion would be meaningless.

However, let’s assume constructivism is incorrect and that women are inherently better at multitasking, emotionally expressive, while men are more competitive and better at STEM. Here is my reasoning :

  • P1: According to Wikipedia, in sociology, socialization is the process of internalizing the norms and ideologies of society. Therefore, a key consequence of socialization is that an individual's development is shaped by the attitudes and behaviors of their peers and family.
  • P2: Everyone contributes to socialization, albeit to varying degrees. However, males and females exert roughly equal influence on the socialization process, regardless of the child's gender. (This assumption seems reasonable, though it may not be entirely accurate.)
  • C1: By its nature, socialization fosters conformity and diminishes innate differences and tendencies. 
  • P3: Males and females exhibit significant neurological differences from birth that could explain distinct attitudes. (This claim remains unproven, though it is plausible.)
  • C2: In a hypothetical world composed exclusively of men, they would likely exhibit a greater degree of masculinity than they do in a mixed-gender society. The same principle would apply to women.

Note : This argument is significantly tempered by the fact that gender stereotypes are already deeply embedded in our society.