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Section 7. Family and Living Psychology
Chalabiyev Nurali Zarbali oghlu, PhD., in Pedagogy, docent, Shaki branch of Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University
E-mail: [email protected]
PSYCHOLOGiCAL ANALYSiS OF NORMS RELATED TO GENDER ROLES iN AZERBAiJANi FAMiLY
Abstract: In the article there has been analysed the norms related to traditional gender roles in psychological aspect and in the background of structural and functional changes in modern Azerbaijani family, and characterized new features of gender roles. The purpose of this research is to open up and analyze the changes in women's and men 's gender roles in the context of global integration in Azerbaijan families which based on patriarchal traditions.
Keywords: Azerbaijani family, sociocultural processes, globalization, gender systems, gender roles, social norms, family rules, gender equality, roleexpectations, sexual identity, early marriages, domestic violence.
Due to penetration of globalization into political, economical, social and cultural spheres of modern Azerbaijan society, its both positive and negative effects displays in the family too. Sociocultural processes show that modernization proceedings occur-ing in different areas of life, including spiritual sphere reveal global problems and require the real solution of these.As a set ofvarious values and opportunities, global culture differently affects to identification.
The development of society is provided by the action of people normally formed as a person, and normal formalization of the person is provided by normal family atmosphere. From this point of view, an accurate defining and concideration of factors conducive to integrity and durabilty of the family, has already become the most topical and global problem interested in scoiety. "Linking globalization with the family dimension opens up new avenues of understanding interpersonal relationships, household economics, gender con-
cerns, societal changes, and relations between groups [10, P. 20].
Traditionally, in Azerbaijani families, the father is considered the head, the elder of the family, he is hold in high esteem, and "to be rude to him"is an unforgivable fault and blamable behavior. Along with kindness, also the awe and verdict of father plays a positive role in upbringing of children, especially in prevention and correction of behavioral deffects of them in the family. The complement one another of maternal and paternal love in the family, reinforces the trust of children in their parents, allows to share concerns and problems with them, get moral support from them and solve all problems succesfully.
In the context of modern global integration in Azerbaijan, internet and other social networks are gradually increasing their own power of influence all over the world, as well as on the families, and the expansion of virtual communication area dislodges live emotional and verbal communication among
family members. Computer and virtual communication bondage or addiction isolates family members from social conditions, damages kinship relations, and in some cases, becomes one of risk factors causing alenation and social disadaptation. After work or lesson, like many women and men, also their teenage and young children retreat their rooms, connect with friends and acquaintances in virtual space, spend many hours there. Some of them join in intimate life with the people they met virtually, share their own personal and family secrets with them. According to statistics, each of 5-6 family breaks down exactly due to suspicion of betrayal or jealousy arising from ve-liedly using of social networks. Modern information and communication technologies are impressive impact factors in the families, like in all areas of Azerbaijan society. R. I. Aliyev notes: Nowadays there is a very colourful psychological, political, moral and ethical situation in Azerbaijan society, and this society maybe is on the way of chaotic search. In a word, every one tries to prove himself, realize their own opportunities in new conditions [2, P. 34].
In modern Azerbaijani families, most of working women face serious problems in performing main roles of women and mothers at the same time. And this is a main reason for emergence of tiredness, psychological tension and feeling of inadequacy. Demographic indicators of modern family are significantly falling down, the number of divorce, suicidal, premature death cases are increasing, nucleication tendencies become stronger in the families, the number of families having few children(with 1-2) is gradually increasing due to birth decrease.
The relations between husband and wife is formally regulated with norms and sanctions based on "Family Code" prepared by the instituton of marriage, and informally regulated with national customs and traditions.
Besides, both legally and morally, an husband and a wife has specific functions along with non-specific functions too, which are typical for all the families, depending on the type, age, ethnic characteristics of
them. However, some deformations that the family exosed to, specially, liberalization of intimate relationships outside the family, unofficial polygamy, in many cases, lead to increasing sexual partnership motives, occuring conflicts on this ground, and jealousy, betrayal motives cause an increase of criminal cases.
After the restoration of national independence, gender policy implemented in Azerbaijan and as a result of this, the proceedings carried out in the field of women's and men's social status equalization affected family relationships too. For centuries, in Azerbaijan society, the family was based on patriarchal traditions, but now it gradually changes to non-patriarchal family type, and in most cases, there have been forming "egalitarian-partner family" - a new and progressive model of family. "Egalitarian-partner family" model is characterized by legal equality of spouses, joint management of family farm and housekeeping on an equal basis, joint participation of spouses in children's upbringing and in the formation and division of family budget. This model of family conserves the realization of norms, related to gender roles, in the conditions of equal opportunities.
"Family rules" (for example, service, premarital behavior, division of duties and authorities between husband and wife, arrangement of family's leisure time) based on national ethics, customs and traditions play an important role for regulation of men and women's gender roles in Azerbaijani families. However, as a result of many effects originated by globalization era, some rules, customs and traditions are going to change, and the new ones arise.
It can be said that, in all Azerbaijani families a husband (man) is a head of the family, a generation keeps on with the line of paternal generation. A husband (a father) is a protector and founder of family, and financial security of family, formation of family budget, management ofhousekeeping are his liabilities, his "homework".
Although, the rights and duties of husband and wife have been generally indicated in the "Family Code" of Azerbaijan, but gender division of labor
in family life is not significantly mentioned. Gender division of family is carried out on the basis of family rules and traditions. International legislation ensures to make a perfect legislation base covering a system of measures which are aimed at eliminating sexual discrimination, most various causes and means that prevent sexual equality, human rights and freedoms.
Due to widespread gender inequality in patriarchal societies for many years, in most countries of the world men's interests exceeded women's interests and this process have been deeply surrounded from the division oflabor to all spheres of social organization of society. There have been made significant improvements in equalization legal and constitutional opportunities directed to ensuring gender equality in all areas ofpolitical, social, cultural life ofAzerbaijan society. But gender inequality still remains as a problem that has not been fully solved.
According to statistics of gender-based violence cases, we can say that, "each year 100 women between the ages of 17-43 become invalid or die by beatings. In Azerbaijan families 52% of men think that, if a woman is beaten, that means she deserved it. 17% of teenage girls are regularly exposed to depression and one of 6 married women is exposed to physical violence by her husband" [1, P. 37].
Though Azerbaijani society speedily integrates to the international community, but in many patriarchal and non-patriarchal families where ethnic and gender stereotypes are superior, the model of gender differences, such as "strong-weak" model has a sufficient effect to feel. The males who are considered a stronger gender, have a say in family, they give a final decision on principal issues, because the family's financial needs are provided by them and they earn more money, more salary than women. It is prohibited "not to dance attendance on men", he "has the last word" and those women who are against this, they will be punished. That is why, the women are exposed to their husbands' permanent reaction, and they are forced to be very careful to avoid the attacks, pressures and insults.And this causes psy-
chological discomfort and traumas in them. In most cases, Azerbaijani women are convicted to think about regulating their behavior in accordance with political, social, legal and moral norms of society and they should adapt to this situation to avoid the reprobation of close social coverage, relations and neighbors. Role normatives of genders in the family have become a social construction formed on the basis of "husband-wife" duality in relation to each other, and "man-father", "woman-mother" duality in relation to children.
Gender roles are on of the forms of social roles and behaviours that considered normal or problematic for men and women by any society. For generation of gender roles formed in the social base of biological male and female genders, there is a significant effect of cultures, religions, social and economic life conditions and other factors. Norms related to gender roles, as other social norms (political, labor, legal, cultural, religious and etc.) are formed on the basis of society's ideology and ideological norms' system. "Gender equality is not only a human right, but also a handy platform for peace, prosperity and sustainable world". At the same time, gender equality provides same educational, healthcare, work opportunities for women and girls, and give chance to them to be represented in the process of making political and economical desicions [11].
As the society develops, norms related to gender roles in the context of sex-occupation-duty, have been improving in terms of functions, roles, places, participation in labor and household life and these norms, as a whole, have become typical indicators of gender roles in civilian lifestyle.
The division of social roles, accurate determination of boundaries of norms related to them is a problematic, challenging issue. According to biological gender, it is a doubtless reality that the range of differences of men's and women's psychological, emotional, intellectual and volitional characteristics is very wide. But, the relativity of imaginations about "typical man" and "typical woman" standards have been
scientifically proven in the aspect of gender category for a long time ago. The diversity of the social and psychological characteristics can not be explained with diversity of biological genders, social roles in various societies, and norms concerning these roles. It can lead to the wrong conclusions. Gender roles are not identical to biological gender roles. Because, gender roles are based on role expectations and stereotypes which belong to masculine and feminine behavior. To be accepted as a man or a woman in society is determined with not only being bearers of these or those anatomical traits, also with adequate implementation of gender roles which conditioned role-gender behavioral standards. 'Males and females of any race, educated in any conditions and civilization always pretentiously approach the behaviors of their partners' beliefs and thoughts' [7, 10]. In modern era, gender discrimination against women, prohibitions and stereotypes are elucidated in detail, both in scientific and public debates and on the media platform. But gender constraints against men remain indifferent issue. For example, in Azerbaijan society, where traditional patriarchal values are superior, due to economic crisis the men could not fulfill the function of "family's main provider" and seriously lose their confidence, morally and psychologically suffer from this situation, exposure to the syndrome of "social uselessness". And in many cases, this leads to their loss of social authority in the family and becoming a subject of family conflict.
Gender systems have different meaning in various societies. The meaning of gender expresses social characteristics of sexes and that is why social norms about them have a different content too. Even though these norms change as time passes, but gender asymmetry remains unchanged.
Gender roles are one of the social roles and indicate the totality of expected behavioural patterns of men and women. The gender norms formed in its basis is a social-psychological phenomenon and consists of imagination system about "real man", and "real woman". Russian sociologist G. M. Andreyeva notes
that, "norms are set of rules made by a group that subordinating their behaviors and providing the possibility ofjoint activities. "The lack of clear, expressive and harmonically developed male and female qualities is the biggest crisis of civilization" [6, P. 47]. In educational system of family, gender norms are stregn-thened through the institutions of socialization and by injecting children's consciousness. Legal system of society and its cultural mechanisms are reinforced as well as through stereotypes. The violation of gender norms has not been ambiguously perceived by society. These men and women confront unseemly remarks and these cause the emergence ofinferiority complex in them, and also lead to psychological discomfort and unadequate low self-assessment.
As shown by world practice, in public and private life, harmonic partnership between men and women is a basis of general prosperity. In the family environment, establishing of cultural and emotional communication on gender norms'platform can be accepted as reliable guarantor of mutual understanding. Analysing of real situation in the field of gender issues leads to detection of facts about social roles closed to traditional division of labor, recognition of rights, clearly differentiated duties between males and females."The cases from this category we can ascribe, firstly, widely spread imaginations and stereotypes about "real womanhood", "real manhood"-like limited number of two community of personal qualities. The first community is the basis of ideal "real woman" (mother, daughter, sister, wife)and the second one is the basis of ideal "real man" (father, son, brother, husband) [3, P. 14].
As a gender, practically, a man and a woman have been specialized on working platform to fulfil a quite broadly important functions and historically, there was occured work differentiationrelated to genders and they were classified as traditional male and female professions. Norms related to gender roles stem from biological sex of an individual and are based on sexual identity.
In many families, to master the domination at home is very importantin terms of solving prob-
lemsdepending on more income bringing. This idea indicates that related to solve income problems between man or woman, an economic power in family is shared monotonusly. Who has more income, he masters the authority in family, because income is the most important factor in economic life. Such determination is precisely suitable too, for family roles like "father", "mother", "husband", "woman", "child", "relative". So that, in any case, while saying "mother", firstlyit is conserved a woman who has a child or children and who cares them. A role of "mother" mainly includes a complex of feelings of love for children. A mother is not only carrier of any feelings and behaviors, but also a concrete live human, who tries to bring up dignified persons from her children.
Role expectations and role behaviors of family members are on of the main factors which led to divorce between the partners. Usually, the conflicts between husband and wife occur on the ground ofvio-lation of role's behavior. For example, woman wants that her husband spends his leisure time at home, but he prefers to have fun with friends or get busy with his own hobbies. Or a husband expects that his wife pays more attention to housekeeping and family life, but faces with her laziness and carelessness. Such situations are widely spread in modern families and main reasons for serious family conflicts.
American sociologist C. Kripatrick had an interesting initiative to prevent conflicts that maybe oc-cured in the context of role-gender behavior.He added "the role of companionship", "the role ofpartnership" to traditional roles of men and women and listed the duties of them in accordance with these roles.
In modern Azerbaijani families, where more than 90% of population are muslims, the traditional impact of religion on family life has been displaying in many spheres, such as in family-marriage, husband and wife relations, education of children, celebration of religious holidays, putting name to children.
In Azerbaijan the girls who forced to marry by their families at an early ages (before 18 years old) usually lose the opportunity to continue their
education. It reduces the chance to become the owner of any specialty they want and realize their desires in future. Early marriages are big risk factors which cause to violation gender balance in family. In such marriages, due to a big age difference (sometimes 15-20 age) between spouses, a husband feels jealous of every move of his wife and violence against her is accepted as nornal. According to statistics, 5 or 6 of every 100 marriages are belong to a group of "early marriage". In such marriages there can be often incountered violence facts directed against women by men, or against children by women. In early marriages, family violence leads to domestic violence, divorce, and sometimes even suicidal cases.
In Azerbaijan, where patriarchal or non-patriarchal family traditions are still dominant, the women, who prefer to divorce, while returning to father's home will be predicted to many reactions, that's why they change their mind and are forced to live in negative adaptive environment under violence of their husbands and other old family members.
Due to characteristics related to psychological age, modern Azerbaijani teenagers and youth are more exposed to effects of global transformations too, because they are at a sensitive stage of identity formation. In most cases they are inclined to imitate foreign cultures, too. Due to the lack of constant and concrete behavioral style, teenagers and youth incur more attacks of modern, global cultural effects. Consumer psychology, fashionable addiction, orientation to a new life style and etc.become basic behavioral and life standards. The increasing motives of inclination to diversity and freedom, to live in luxury, cause to indifference to the ethical values and in most cases the young people move away from these values.
Since the second half of XX century, gender problem has become a global problem and also actual problem waiting for the solution and investigation not in the local and concrete aspect butin the synthesis of global and local parties too.
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