The Social Psychology of Gender: Theoretical Approaches and Contemporary Developments

This chapter examines the enduring relevance of gender as a central organizing principle in society, with a focus on the social psychological mechanisms that reproduce gender inequalities. Building on existing theory and contemporary empirical research, we discuss how gender is conceptualized as a multilevel system of social practices that structures social relations – encompassing individuals’ identities and behaviors at the micro level, social interactions at the meso level, as well as cultural beliefs and social structures and institutions, like organizations, families, and states, at the macro level. We argue that social psychological tools and understandings of how gender operates insocial interaction are at the heart of the gender system. These approaches are useful because they specify, for instance, the ways in which cultural beliefs about gender influence a range of important social outcomes, such as a person’s self-concept and their decision-making, divisions of paid and unpaid labor, workplace discrimination, and the structure of organizations. Moreover, they attest to the highly contextual nature of gender interactions, showing how gendered structures are produced, sustained, and transformed overtime. By interrogating the linkages among micro-level identities, meso-level interactions, and macro-level social institutions, we provide a comprehensive overview of current theories and research and make recommendations for future research directions.