Tendencies of Men, Women, and Mixed Groups

The following traits can be tendencies of males or females within groups.  A balance of these extremes is needed for healthy ministry with groups.  The research was done by social scientists and developmentalists Lawrence Kohlberg and Carol Gilligan which is edited below.  

 

Male Groups  vs  Female Groups

Justice  vs  Compassion

Rules to shape character  vs  Principles to shape character

Legalism  vs  Values

Obligation to do something  vs  Desire to do something

Know thyself to find yourself  vs  Know others to find yourself

Exercising personal rights  vs  Caring for the rights of others

Individualism  vs  Relational

Separation  vs  Connectiveness

 

Summary

Whether men, women, or mixed groups, all are needed for small groups and discipleship ministries.  However, the caution flag waves to remind each group to always be concerned with opinions that may be too narrow, fairness that may be just for one at the expense of others, and relationships that are void of meeting other people’s needs.  Also, the caution flag of moral development reminds us to be fair and do what is just as we reach out to others with feelings of empathy, moods that are attractive, and attitudes of hope, as between a mother and child.

 

Individual men and women within groups can have personality traits that lean more toward the male or female characteristics.  Further, all groups should strive to minister in a holistic manner using a balance of male and female developmental characteristics.  

 

 

Research Background

After graduating from high school in 1945 Lawrence Kohlberg left for Europe and experienced the aftermath of war.  Later after completing his military service, he volunteered to transport Jewish refugees illegally to Palestine.  When the ship was captured, he experienced watching the death of several Jewish infants.  As Catherine Stonehouse wrote “The Power of Kohlberg” she went on to say that dealing with the injustice thrust out on holocaust survivors changed his life (Stonehouse, 1998, p 61).  

 

As an American psychologist, Lawrence Kohlberg would become known for his lifelong work in moral development.  Stonehouse shares that Kohlberg chose ninety-eight boys between ages ten to sixteen and every three years over a period of thirty years he interviewed them to determine their developmental progress.  This became the foundation for his theory on moral development (Ibid.,1998, p 61).

 

In the early 1970s, Carol Gilligan worked alongside Eric Erickson and Lawrence Kohlberg at Harvard.  Gilligan was Kohlberg’s research assistant.  She highly respected his work but recognized its foundation was based on male biases and presuppositions because it did not include the female gender.  She believed that women considered what was right in making moral decisions differently than men. Her book, “In A Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women’s Development” is a response to include the experiences of women for a broader picture to consider (Gilligan, 2003, xvii).  One of the key results in her research for women was their “activity of caring”.  This includes a responsibility to care relationally for oneself, as well as others.  Kohlberg’s moral development for men tended toward exercising rights and rules.  Gilligan concluded that such a morality of rights creates separation and individualism rather than connectiveness to the needs of others.  Also, among other results, she concluded that development for women included a parent and child approach where self and other are treated equally (Gilligan, 2003, 19, 62-63).

 

John Gibbs emphasized in “Moral Development and Reality” (2003, 10) that moral motivation should not emphasize a superior cognitive approach (justice) nor an “affective approach” (empathy) but both (Blevins and Maddix, 2010, 126).

 

 

For further reading

• Blevins, Dean G.  and Maddix, Mark A., 2010.  Discovering Discipleship:  Dynamics of Christian Education. Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, p. 126 
• Gilligan, Carol. 2003.  In a Different Voice:  Psychological Theory and Women’s Development.  Cambridge, Massachusetts, and London, England:  Harvard University Press, xvii
• Ibid., pp. 19, 62-63
• Stonehouse, Catherine. 1998, The Power of Kohlberg in Nurture That Is Christian: Developmental Perspectives on Christian Education,. Ed. James C. Wilhoit and John M. Detonni, Grand Rapids, MI: A BridgePoint Book, A Division of Baker Books, p.61
• Ibid., p. 61