A tendency is a usual way of behaving or a pattern that often happens. It’s not always, but it’s what most often occurs.
From Medieval Latin *tendentia* 'an inclination', from Latin *tendere* 'to stretch, aim'. It describes something stretching or leaning in a certain direction over time.
A tendency is like a habit written into your behavior’s direction arrow. You’re not forced to do it, but your actions keep 'stretching' the same way unless you change them.
Claims about gender 'tendencies' have often been used to naturalize stereotypes—for example, that women tend to be more emotional or men more rational—supporting unequal treatment in work, law, and education.
When describing tendencies, distinguish clearly between statistical patterns and stereotypes, and avoid attributing complex behavior to gender alone.
["pattern","inclination","propensity","trend"]
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