Gender Clichés and Social Health: a Study on Men and Women from Tehran

Gender clichés are created and derived from social norms، values، beliefs، and attitudes which define and determine specific characteristics for men and women in society. However، such prefabricated patterns for individuals would set up barriers for individual development and progress with regard to the peculiar features of modern societies and the possibilities it provides for individuals. Therefore، the present study investigates the relationship between gender clichés accepted by men and women and their social health. this study was conducted through an experimental-descriptive survey method. The samples included 384 participants who were selected through cluster sampling from the population which involved men and women from 18 to 29 in Tehran. Participants responded to the questionnaires which served as the research instrument. The findings of this study revealed that reinforcing the definitions that men have for themselves according to the gender clichés would lead to their positive rating from their efficiency in the society، since the male clichés includes positive definitions and confirmation in the society. On the contrary، women fail to have an active and positive participation in the society due to the negative clichés about them in society. The findings for the relationship between gender clichés and social health were different for men and women. While there was a linear and meaningful relationship between gender clichés and social acceptance for women، there was a linear and meaningful relationship between gender clichés and integration، adaptation، and social prosperity. According the findings of the present study، reinforcing the positive gender clichés would increase the sense of usefulness in society، mainly for men، and on the other hand reinforcing the negative gender clichés in women with low education levels would lead to hindering the positive features for individual and social development and progress.