Social learning theory as applied to gender development. The influence of culture and media on gender roles.

What is the Social Learning Theory of Gender Development?

• Bandura argued that gender behaviour is learned through observation and imitation.
• Children learn gender roles from people around them.

What is Observation in Social Learning Theory?

• Watching the behaviour of others.
• Children observe gendered behaviour displayed by role models.

What is Imitation in Social Learning Theory?

• Copying behaviour that has been observed.
• Children imitate gender-appropriate behaviours.

What is Identification in Social Learning Theory?

• Child associates with a role model.
• More likely to imitate people they identify with.

Who are Gender Role Models?

• Individuals whose behaviour children observe and imitate.
• Often parents, siblings, peers, celebrities and media figures.

Why are Same-Sex Role Models Important?

• Children are more likely to identify with members of their own sex.
• This increases the likelihood of imitation.

What is Vicarious Reinforcement?

• Learning by observing the consequences of another person’s behaviour.
• Behaviour is more likely to be imitated if it is rewarded.

How does Vicarious Reinforcement Influence Gender Development?

• Children observe others being rewarded for gender-appropriate behaviour.
• They are more likely to imitate those behaviours.

What is Direct Reinforcement?

• Receiving rewards or punishments for behaviour.
• Reinforces gender-appropriate behaviour.

How does Direct Reinforcement Influence Gender Development?

• Boys may be rewarded for masculine behaviour.
• Girls may be rewarded for feminine behaviour.
• Encourages children to repeat those behaviours.

What are the Mediational Processes in Social Learning Theory?

• Attention.
• Retention.
• Motor reproduction.
• Motivation.

What is Attention?

• The child must notice the behaviour.
• More attention is paid to attractive or important role models.

What is Retention?

• The child must remember the behaviour.
• Behaviour must be stored in memory before it can be copied.

What is Motor Reproduction?

• The child must be physically capable of performing the behaviour.
• Determines whether imitation can occur.

What is Motivation?

• The child must want to imitate the behaviour.
• Often influenced by expected rewards.

How does Social Learning Theory Explain Gender Development?

• Children observe gendered behaviour.
• They imitate same-sex role models.
• Reinforcement encourages gender-appropriate behaviour.
• Gender roles are learned through experience.

What is the Influence of Culture on Gender Roles?

• Different cultures have different expectations of males and females.
• Gender roles vary between societies.

Why does Culture Influence Gender Development?

• Children learn cultural expectations about masculinity and femininity.
• These expectations shape gender behaviour.

Who was Margaret Mead?

• Anthropologist who studied gender roles in different cultures.
• Investigated whether gender roles are universal.

Mead — Aim

• Investigate the influence of culture on gender roles.
• Compare gender behaviour across societies.

Mead — Procedure

• Studied three tribes in New Guinea.
• Observed male and female behaviour within each tribe.

Mead — Findings: Arapesh Tribe

• Both males and females were caring and nurturing.
• Traditional gender differences were absent.

Mead — Findings: Mundugumor Tribe

• Both males and females were aggressive and hostile.
• Traditional gender differences were absent.

Mead — Findings: Tchambuli Tribe

• Females were dominant and assertive.
• Males were emotional and dependent.

Mead — Conclusion

• Gender roles vary across cultures.
• Supports the importance of social and cultural influences on gender development.

What is the Influence of Media on Gender Roles?

• Media provides gender role models for children.
• Children observe and imitate media representations of males and females.

What Forms of Media Influence Gender Development?

• Television.
• Films.
• Advertising.
• Social media.
• Books.

How does Media Influence Gender Development?

• Presents stereotypes about male and female behaviour.
• Children may imitate these behaviours through observational learning.

What Male Gender Stereotypes are Commonly Presented in the Media?

• Strong.
• Independent.
• Dominant.
• Competitive.

What Female Gender Stereotypes are Commonly Presented in the Media?

• Caring.
• Emotional.
• Attractive.
• Nurturing.

What is Cultivation Theory?

• Repeated exposure to media messages shapes beliefs and expectations.
• Gender stereotypes may become viewed as normal.

Social Learning Theory Evaluation — Research Support

• Bandura’s Bobo Doll studies found children imitate observed behaviour.
• Supports observational learning as an explanation of gender development.

Why does Research Support Strengthen Social Learning Theory?

• Demonstrates that children learn behaviour through observation and imitation.
• Supports key processes of the theory.

Social Learning Theory Evaluation — Explains Cultural Variation

• Gender roles differ across societies.
• Social Learning Theory explains this through different role models and reinforcement patterns.

Why does Cultural Variation Strengthen Social Learning Theory?

• Supports the idea that gender roles are learned rather than biologically determined.
• Explains differences between cultures.

Social Learning Theory Evaluation — Biological Factors Ignored

• Theory focuses on learning experiences.
• May underestimate the influence of chromosomes and hormones.

Why does Ignoring Biological Factors Weaken Social Learning Theory?

• Gender development is likely influenced by both biological and environmental factors.
• Theory may be reductionist.

Social Learning Theory Evaluation — Cognitive Factors Ignored

• Children are treated largely as passive learners.
• Gender Schema Theory suggests children actively process gender information.

Why does Ignoring Cognitive Factors Weaken Social Learning Theory?

• Children may actively interpret and organise gender information.
• Learning may involve more than simple imitation and reinforcement.