Topic six: Gender schema theory

What is a schema?

an organised cluster of information that allows us to identify things in our environment

How was Martin and Halverson (1981) a development from Kohlberg?

Alaos believed we are active in acquiring information about our gender, but suggested we only need our basic gender identity

When does gender development achieved?

Before gender constancy is achieved, aged 6-7

When is gender identity gained?

Aged 2-3, when children realise they are either a boy or a girl

What is an in-group?

The group (gender) that an individual belongs toW

What is an outgroup?

the opposite sex

How do children take an active role in their gender development?

Actively search for information about how members of their in-group behave, ignoring those that do not relate to their group

How do gender schemas develop?

When children actively search for information about their in-group, they form schemas and their environment helps them to develop these schemas, as they become more complex over time

When does a gender schema develop?

Before gender constancy, so gender development happens earlier than Kohlberg predicted

Outline the research of Martin and Halverson (1983)

Tested the memory of children under the age of six

Children more likely to remember photographs showing gender-consistent behaviour than gender-inconsistent behaviour

Children changed sex of person carrying out gender-inconsistent activity when asked to recall

What does the research of Martin and Halverson (1983) suggest?

Memory is distorted to fit with existing schemas, demonstrating the power of schemas to influence gendered thinking

Outline the research of Martin et al. (1995)

Showed range of toys to four and five year old children

Before they played with toy, told whether it was for girls or boys

Children were asked if them or other children of the same gender would like to play with the toys

Label given to toy affected preference the child gave it

What does the research of Martin et al. (1995) suggest?

Gender schemas and children organise and categorise objects to match gender