Determining Gender Stereotype based on Physical Appearance Expectations in Interpersonal Communication Process: An Intercultural Comparison between Turkey and Portugal

Derya Gul Unlu

doi:10.30935/ojcmt/9576

Abstract

While making inferences about the physical appearance of other persons, the individual makes use of various stereotypes, and according to these stereotypes, categorizes the new individual based on his/her physical appearance. This affects the interpersonal communication process established, and the individual starts and maintains the communication process according to the stereotypes about other persons categorised in the mind. In this regard, it can be suggested that gender stereotypes, which are based on the physical appearance of the individual, are determinant on the content and quality of interpersonal communication. In this context, determining these stereotype-based expectations is of great importance also for reducing communication barriers encountered in interpersonal communication. Based on this focus, the research aims to reveal the physical appearance features of the other person, which the individual pays attention to most, at the start of and during the interpersonal communication process, and whether this attitude differs according to the gender of the evaluating or evaluated individual. Conducted in accordance with this aim, the study is a descriptive method-based field research implemented by means of open-ended question form. The study also aims to present an intercultural perspective; within this scope, findings obtained from the statements of Turkish and Portugese respondents are provided in a comparative manner. The primary result of the study is the fact that both physical appearance features, which the individual first evaluates in the moment of first meeting and during the interpersonal communication process, differ according to the gender and cultural background of the evaluating individual.

Highlights

Gender stereotypes refer to a belief system that the individual starts learning as soon as he or she is included in the social life
The frequency distribution in question shows that Turkish respondents expressed that they first evaluate the physical appearance of the individual, regardless of the gender, while Portuguese respondents evaluate the facial expression first, regardless of the individual’s gender
In this study, which was conducted to reveal the physical appearance features, to which attention is primarily paid at the start of, and during the interpersonal communication process, and whether this differs according to the gender of the evaluating and evaluated individual, the respondents were asked open ended questions to determine which physical appearance features the individual primarily pays attention to about the other individual

Summary

Introduction

Gender stereotypes refer to a belief system that the individual starts learning as soon as he or she is included in the social life. It is important to understand the physical appearance features, which are primarily evaluated, to have an understanding of the inferences made about the individual and reducing the barriers encountered in interpersonal communication process In this context, the study aims to reveal the physical appearance features of the other person, which the individual pays attention to most, at the start of and during the interpersonal communication process, and whether this attitude differs according to the gender of the evaluating or evaluated individual. In the research section of the study, findings on the physical appearance features of communication source, to which the individual is primarily paying attention to, and whether this differs according to the gender identity of the evaluating and the evaluating person, based on the answers of Turkish and Portugese respondents, will be provided in a comparative manner

Objectives

Results

Conclusion