Gender schema theory

How does Martin and Halverson explain gender development?

In terms of schemes, organised clusters of information about gender-appropriate behaviour.

How does Martin and Halverson's findings support the gender schema theory?

Because it shows that children develop in-group and out group schemas.

what study did martin and halverson complete

show children images of photos of different genders completing different jobs and then asked participants to recall as many photos as possible a week later

In conclusion, the gender schema theory also believes that, like Kohlberg, the key to gender development is

Seeking to acquire information about one's own gender, as distinct from learning about gender behaviour through reinforcement and punishment; the social cognitive perspective.

However children tend to focus on

In-group schemas and avoid behaviours that belong to out-group schemas which lead to a preference for same sex playmates and gender-stereotypical activities.

what are gender beliefs

gender beliefs lead children to hold very fixed gender attitudes because they ignore any information they encounter that is not consistent with ingroup information

explain a childs peer relationships

playing with other children leads children to believe that all girls share the same interests and all boys share the same interests and to avoid children of the opposite sex and learn the potential consequences associated with different social relationships (teased by their friends)

A03 strength - how does this theory explain aspects of childrens thinking

it can explain why children hold very inflexible gender attitudes and a strong ingroup bias, it also explains why children are highly sexist despite parent's efforts
- this is explained by children paying more attention to info that is relevant to their experience

Gender schema theory was proposed by

Martin and Halverson

Gender schemas provide a basis for

Interpreting the environment and selecting appropriate forms of behaviour, and so children's self-perceptions become sex-typed.

Children form

In-group schemas.

In-group schemas are formed concerning

Attitudes and expectations about one's own gender, and out group schemas about the other gender.

Yet, gender schema theory is reductionist- it neglects the influence of

Biological factors suggesting that all gender oriented behaviour is created through our cognitions, which is a problem because if an individual behaves in a gender inappropriate way, gender schema theory blames their level of cognitive development for this. It fails to take into account that some individuals may have been exposed to too much or too little testosterone which may not be causing this.

A03 - evidence that children can label gender even earlier

-a limitation of gender schema theory is that there is evidence that children can label their gender group earlier than indicated
- a study found that children were using gender labels by the age of 19 months suggesting that the age related predictions of gender schema theory may be incorrect

What did Martin and Halverson find?

That when children were asked to recall pictures of people, children under 6 recalled more of the gender consistent ones (e.g. female teacher, male firefighter) than gender inconsistent ones (e.g. male nurses).