Role of System-Functional Linguistics in Revealing Gender Stereotypes in International Media Discourse

Abstract

Gender stereotyping and perception of gender roles have been a pervasive issue in media discourse. Studies have shown that language plays a crucial role in shaping our perceptions and understanding of gender. Systemic functional linguistics (SFL) is a linguistic framework that analyzes the functional and social aspects of language use. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between SFL and gender stereotyping as well as the impact of SFL on gender stereotyping and perception of gender roles in international media discourse. Additionally, the study investigated whether language proficiency moderated the relationship between SFL and gender stereotyping. The study recruited 287 participants from colleges in Beijing and Shanghai cities of China. Participants were selected based on their language proficiency in English and Mandarin. Data were collected through a self-administered online questionnaire. The results indicated that SFL had a significant positive effect on both gender stereotyping and perception of gender roles in international media discourse. Furthermore, language proficiency was found to moderate the relationship between SFL and gender stereotyping, such that the effect of SFL on gender stereotyping was stronger for individuals with higher language proficiency. However, the mediating effect of perception of gender roles on the relationship between SFL and gender stereotyping was not significant. This study provided insights into the potential impact of SFL on gender stereotyping in international media discourse. It highlights the importance of language proficiency in shaping the perception and understanding of gender in media discourse. The study also provided directions for future research, such as investigating the role of other linguistic frameworks on gender stereotyping and exploring the impact of media literacy on gender perceptions.