DISCUSS TWO COGNITIVE EXPLANANTIONS OF
GENDER DEVELOPMENT ? #16
What is Kholberg's (1966) theory? - correct answer - Kholberg's (1966) theory cogtitive
development theory is based on the idea that a child's understanding of gender (e.g
roles, behaviours, attitudes) become more sophisiticated with age
- it is therefore unresultnat on experience but biological maturation; the idea that
intellectual devlopment is the same as biological maturation which consists in 3 distinct
stages
Stage 1: Gender identity (labelling) - Around 2 - correct answer - At around 2 years he
propsed children could correctly idenitfy their own gender and at around 3 years most
can identify others genders and respond to simple questiosn about gender allowing
them to categorise their world
- However gender tends to be nothign more htan just simple labelling as knowlwdgw is
very fragile and therefore children tend to incorrectly label individuals and don't yet
conprehend that gender stays consistent over time
Stage 2: Gender stability - Around 4 - correct answer - At around 4 children acquire
gender stability where they gain the realisation that gender stays consistent over time
(however this dosen't alwsys extend to others)
- they also get confused by external/superficial changes in apperance (e.g if a woman
shaves her hair they may also believe that her gender chnages as well as her
appearance)
Stage 3: Gender constancy - Around 6/7 - correct answer - At around 6/7 children
recognise gender stays consistent across time situations; applying to others as well as
themselves
- they are no longer fooled by superfiical chnages in appearance
- once a child has fully developed and internalised gender constancy they embark on an
active search for evidence (SLT)
- a tendnacy for gender stereotyping also begins to occur
What is Martin and Halverson's (1981) Gender schema theory? - correct answer -
Martin and Halverson's (1981) gender schema theory sees gender identity occuirng as
the primary motivator for childern to assume sex-seek behaviour patterns
- for initial understanding they need not know that gender is permanent (Unlike Kholbeg)
Gender schema/identity - correct answer - once a child has developed gender identity
around the age of 2/3 children begin to search for evidence that encourages the
devlopment of gender schema
- these schema are mental constructs that develop through expereience to
organise/determine the environment of both the 'in-group' attributes and behaviours that
belong to the same-sex and 'out-group' which is towards the opposite gender
GENDER DEVELOPMENT ? #16
What is Kholberg's (1966) theory? - correct answer - Kholberg's (1966) theory cogtitive
development theory is based on the idea that a child's understanding of gender (e.g
roles, behaviours, attitudes) become more sophisiticated with age
- it is therefore unresultnat on experience but biological maturation; the idea that
intellectual devlopment is the same as biological maturation which consists in 3 distinct
stages
Stage 1: Gender identity (labelling) - Around 2 - correct answer - At around 2 years he
propsed children could correctly idenitfy their own gender and at around 3 years most
can identify others genders and respond to simple questiosn about gender allowing
them to categorise their world
- However gender tends to be nothign more htan just simple labelling as knowlwdgw is
very fragile and therefore children tend to incorrectly label individuals and don't yet
conprehend that gender stays consistent over time
Stage 2: Gender stability - Around 4 - correct answer - At around 4 children acquire
gender stability where they gain the realisation that gender stays consistent over time
(however this dosen't alwsys extend to others)
- they also get confused by external/superficial changes in apperance (e.g if a woman
shaves her hair they may also believe that her gender chnages as well as her
appearance)
Stage 3: Gender constancy - Around 6/7 - correct answer - At around 6/7 children
recognise gender stays consistent across time situations; applying to others as well as
themselves
- they are no longer fooled by superfiical chnages in appearance
- once a child has fully developed and internalised gender constancy they embark on an
active search for evidence (SLT)
- a tendnacy for gender stereotyping also begins to occur
What is Martin and Halverson's (1981) Gender schema theory? - correct answer -
Martin and Halverson's (1981) gender schema theory sees gender identity occuirng as
the primary motivator for childern to assume sex-seek behaviour patterns
- for initial understanding they need not know that gender is permanent (Unlike Kholbeg)
Gender schema/identity - correct answer - once a child has developed gender identity
around the age of 2/3 children begin to search for evidence that encourages the
devlopment of gender schema
- these schema are mental constructs that develop through expereience to
organise/determine the environment of both the 'in-group' attributes and behaviours that
belong to the same-sex and 'out-group' which is towards the opposite gender
