1. Introduction

Due to the rapid development and progress of technology today, people's communication methods have also undergone rapid changes, from telephone correspondence decades ago to text messages, and now to the use of social media. The difference between this article and other articles is that it does not mainly study any title of media or gender cognition, but rather integrates the two to study the impact of media changes on people's gender identity. Due to the development of media nowadays, the prevalence of film and television dramas has led to a faster spread of gender-fixed cognition. For example, even in some short advertisements, men are more likely to be portrayed as strong, witty, and rational, while women are more likely to be portrayed as virtuous and gentle characters.

Therefore, this article mainly studies the impact of media changes on gender identity. The construction of gender identity is influenced by media, as it often portrays women and men in fixed roles, leading to biased gender cognition. With the advancement of media, people have faster access to information, exposing them to a more diverse society and expanding their understanding of gender.

There are three main research questions. The first question is do media have more positive or negative effects on gender identity? The second question is under the influence of media, how has people's recognition of gender changed? The third is what is the difference between the media in the past and the media in the contemporary period? What is the impact of those media?

This study uses literature review and questionnaire survey methods to explore the impact of media on gender identity. This includes analyzing media content such as advertisements, television programs, and movies to determine gender stereotypes and their impact on individuals. The significance of this study is to explore how much people understand gender identity in the media and to promote their deeper understanding of the role of the media in gender identity, thereby promoting their awareness of gender equality[1-2].

2. Methodology

This study employs a documentary method and questionnaire survey to examine the influence of media on gender identity. The documentary method involves analyzing media content, such as advertisements, TV shows, and movies, to identify gender stereotypes and their impact on individuals. The questionnaire survey collected data from participants and divided them into four types of participants by age, namely teenagers under 18 years old, teenagers over 18 years old but under 30 years old, middle-aged people between the ages of 30 and 50, and middle-aged and elderly people over 50 years old.

The questionnaire survey is divided into several parts. The first part is to inquire about the media forms they are exposed to in daily life, the second part is to know their understanding of gender cognition, and the third part is set up to determine whether they feel that the media is related to gender cognition, and to explore whether the impact of this connection is positive or negative, The fourth part is to understand their perception of the progress that media can make in gender cognition in the future, while the fifth part is to inquire about the personal information of the respondents, such as age and gender.

3. Findings

Table 1: Different forms of media people regularly come into contact with in daily life

Figure 1: Results of different forms of media people regularly come into contact with in daily life

Through the results of questions in Table 1 and Figure 1, we can find that most people obtain information almost through the most emerging media such as social media, online videos, and film and television works. Moreover, most people believe that the media can only reflect people's views on gender in society and cannot completely influence or shape people's gender cognition. Moreover, most people are aware of the existence of gender identity in the media. Most people maintain a neutral attitude towards the media, believing that it is harmful in one aspect but harmless in another.

Moreover, they believe that the media with the most exposure in daily life has the greatest impact on people's gender cognition, as mentioned above in social media, online videos, and film and television programs. These media have played a significant role in strengthening gender stereotypes, shaping gender body images, and shaping expectations and roles for male and female sex roles, and may potentially lead to significant gender discrimination.

At the same time, we can also observe in the survey that regardless of the age group of participants, most of them believe that the impact of media on gender cognition is mainly reflected in the youth age group. In the fourth part of the survey, we found that all participants had a positive outlook on the impact of media on gender cognition. They believed that the media could contribute to reducing the emphasis on gender stereotypes and possibly promoting the values of gender equality while increasing the presentation of diverse genders[3-5].

4. Discussion

Media reinforces gender stereotypes by portraying women and men in fixed roles, leading to biased gender cognition. These stereotypes are perpetuated through various media channels, including print, television, and online platforms.

To be more specific, In the 20th century, television and film began to enter people's lives, replacing books and newspapers as the main entertainment media. However, films and television are subject to high production costs, and their categories are not as rich as words. In addition, there are many "stereotypes" in movies and TV, which are related to the social culture of people in the era and reflect people's spiritual thoughts, which is what we call "stereotypes".

For instance, among the gender roles spread by TV media, men tend to be portrayed as brave, and they are more involved in challenging activities. And portraying women as delicate images, letting women participate in less difficult activities.

At the same time, the continuous progress and development of media have led to faster information dissemination, exposing people to a more diverse society. This exposure results in a broader range of gender cognition, challenging traditional gender norms and promoting inclusivity.

As people enter the new century, the Internet has become the most important medium for people to communicate easily, and anyone can send and respond to information quickly. This has led to the emergence of many new gender theories and gender identities, while also bringing to the fore the unique needs of the minority.

In traditional societies, these people's demands may be too small to receive an effective response. But with the development of the Internet, people can make their demands and come together with all those who share the same aspirations, so that the voice of every community cannot be ignored. In the process, a new era of gender identity was born[6-7].

5. Conclusion

This study exemplifies the impact of media on people's gender identity, highlighting the need for media literacy and responsible portrayal of gender roles. It also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the evolving significance of the study.

This study exemplifies the impact of media on people's gender identity, highlighting the need for media literacy and responsible portrayal of gender roles. It also emphasizes the importance of recognizing the evolving nature of media and its influence on societal perceptions of gender.

One limitation of this study is the potential for data bias, as participants' age and socio-economic status may influence their responses. Future research could focus on the role of social media in shaping gender identity among adolescents and explore strategies for promoting gender diversity and inclusivity through media platforms[8].

Media plays a significant role in shaping people's gender identity, reinforcing stereotypes, and influencing their perceptions of gender roles. However, the continuous progress and development of media also provide opportunities for challenging traditional norms and promoting inclusivity. recognize media practitioners, educators, and society as a whole must recognize and address the influence of media on gender identity, promoting a more diverse and inclusive understanding of gender.