Final answer:
The portrayal of a woman in cleaning product commercials reflects the stereotypical media depiction of gender roles, emphasizing traditional caretaker roles and contributing to gender stratification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presence of a woman in the majority of cleaning supply commercials illustrates that media portrays gender roles in highly stereotypical ways. Mass media, including television and advertising, serves as a significant agent of gender socialization, often reinforcing traditional roles where women are depicted as caretakers and in charge of household chores. This portrayal can negatively influence the perception of gender roles, suggesting that women's contributions are primarily domestic, despite the diverse roles women play in society today.
Research has shown that women are frequently shown in roles promoting cooking, cleaning, or childcare-related products, and are underrepresented in roles that involve leadership or intelligence. Moreover, there is unequal representation in children's films, where male characters overwhelmingly outnumber female characters. Such representation of women can contribute to gender stratification, where women experience unequal access to social resources compared to men.