Cogntive explantion- Gender schema theory

What is gender schema

• mental building block of knowledge containing info about each gender

• Sometimes influenced by gender stereotypes

• E.g. behaviours, clothes, personality traits

Gender schema theory

• children form gender schemas as soon as they notice people are organised into categories (male & female)- similar to kolhberg 2-3yrs

• these schemas developed through interactions with adult, media

• allows children to organise, structure info & learn which toys are appropriate for each gender

In group and out group schemas

• Martin & Halverson described 2 sex-related schemas

• in group schemas (group which person identifies) out group schemas (opposite group)

• Once child identifies with their in group, they positively evaluate their own group, negatively evaluate own group

• They ignore info abt info that’s not consistent with their in group- gender schemas have strong effect on what children remember

• girls pay attention to girls and ignore boys- other way round too, causes child to copy same sex gender behaviour

Strength- research support

• Martin & Halvereon found when children were shown schema-consistent pics (girl playing with doll) or schema inconsistent pics (girl playing with gun), child distorted info & reported schema consistent images (boy playing with gun) changed gender in inconsistent behaviour

• Martin & Little found children under 4 had strong gender stereotypes about what girls & boys could do despite their lack of gender stability & constancy - evidence for in group and out groups

• Shows children have info abt gender roles before KOlhberg suggested- GST is a better explanation of gender developments

Strength- accounts for cultural differences in gender appropriate behaviour

• Argue nature of childrens gender schema is dependant on culture they grow up in- child raised in traditional cultures (women stay at home, nurturing, men go out) are likely to form schema aligning with these views

• Chil from progressive cultures where gender roles, strie types are less rigid, likely to have fluid gender schema

• Gender schema Thierry explains how schemas are passed on between ppl in society, explains why there’s cultural differences in gender stereotypes

• Other theory’s like psychodynamic don’t account for cultural differences showing GST is more valid

Limitation- beta bias and reductionist

• Researchers found girls are more willing to take part in masculine actives than boys are in feminine activities use even though have same schemas about gender-appropriate behaviour

• so GST doesn’t provide explanation for observed gender differences- SLT explained this- boys more likely to see other boys punished for showing feminine behaviour so less likely to imitate it

• Reductionist- theory focuses on cog factors and not social (parental influence & reinforcment)- ignores influence of bio factors in gender development