Final answer:
The process of learning and adopting the gender-related behaviors and preferences that society values is known as gender socialization. This occurs through influences from family, education, peer groups, and mass media, reinforcing gender stereotypes and occupational roles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of developing gender-linked preferences and behaviors valued by the larger society is called gender socialization. This process begins at a very early age, as children learn what is expected of them based on their biological sex through family, education, peer groups, and mass media. Societal norms and attitudes shape these gender roles,
often reinforcing the gender binary, a system that categorizes gender strictly as male or female. As children grow, they encounter gender stereotypes, which are oversimplified ideas about the attributes of men and women. Through socialization, children learn to perform tasks and adopt traits that society has assigned to their gender, a concept referred to as doing gender. This can lead to differences in professional roles later in life, a phenomenon known as occupational sorting.