Cognitive explanations for gender development

Outline Kohlberg’s theory as an explanation for gender development

1) Based on Piaget’s theory believing that as children grow older, their thinking changes, Kohlberg (1966) theory suggests that gender development matures alongside general development.

2) Kohlberg’s theory is split into 3 stages: gender identity, gender stability and gender constancy.

3) Gender identity happens up to 3 years where the child can identify themsellve and others as male or female based on superficial appearances

4) Gender stability happens around 3-5 years of age where the child realises that their gender is consistent over time but may still struggle to apply that rule to others

5) Gender constancy happens 6 years and above where the child realises that theirs and other people’s gender is permanent and constant over time and in different situations despite superficial changes.

6) This stage marks the point where the child begins to imitate and seek role models that are the same gender as them (self-socialisation) and show a preference to the same gender playmates and steroetyped activities.

Evaluate Kohlberg’s theory as an explanation for gender development

A strength is the supporting evidence for Gender identity (Thompson) found that two year olds were correct 76% of the time in recognising their own gender however children aged 4 were correct 90% of the time supporting Kohlberg’s theory as it shows an increased ability to recognise their own label through age that follows his pattern stages.

However some researchers argue that children’s gender development happens erlier than Kohlberg’s theory suggest for example the gender schema theroy aruges that children start behaviour in gendered was as early as 2 years, whereas Kohlberg argues that chuldren only start imiating same-sex role models after achieving gender constancy (6 years old)

There are some methodological issues as Kohlberg’s theory was based on interviews with children as young as 2 years old however it may be the younger children had more sophisiticated concepts of gender but were unable to express it due to learning to talk at that age raising questions about validity of Kohlberg’s theory.

Outline the gender schema theory as an explanation for gender development

1) The gender schema theory Martin and Halverson (1981) uses a cognitive approach based on the development of gender identity (boy or girl) at about age 2-3, ages the child actively seeks out appropriate behaviours for their own gender and ignores information that does not ‘fit’ with their schema

2) Gender-appropriate schemas expand overtime to include different behaviours and personality traits based on sterotypes, Nartin and Halverson suggest that by 6 years old children have aquired a rather fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender

3) In-group schemas are formed which are attitudes and expectations of their own gender which individuals then idendify with. This may lead them to regard their own gender group positively while seeking out-group’s (opposite genders) negatively. At age 8 years children develope elaborate schema for both genders.

Evaluate the gender schema theory as an explanation for gender development

A strength is the supporting evidence (martin and Little) observed that children 3-have stereotypical beliefs about which toys and clothes go with each gender suggesting that they have already developed gender schema by this age.

However several studies suggest that children demonstrate gender-typical behaviour before forming gender schema. For example Alexander et al found boys aged 3-8 months looked at toy trucks more than toy dolls that girls aged 3-8 months looked at toy dolls more than toy trucks suggesting that the interactionalist approach is more beneficial.

Kohlberg’s theory suggests the idea that gender development matures alongside general development, contradicting the idea that children start behaviour gendered at age 2 and rather they only start imitating same-sex role models after achieving gender constancy at 6 years old