4/ Gender - cognitive explanations Flashcards
what are the two different cognitive explanations called?
kohlbergs theory and gender schema theory.
what is the brief theory behind kohlbergs theory?
- gender comes about because of internal (conscious) mental processes
- -> when you understand gender you become gendered
how many stages did Kohlberg believe gender developed in?
three stages. the child becomes more sophisticated with gender as they age.
what did Kohlberg argue?
that biological maturation (as you get older) underpins the process of gender.
what other cognitive development assists in gender development? (Kohlberg theory)
conservation (happens at 7) a skill a child must develop before they develop gender. MEANS that the understanding that fundamental properties pf objects stay the sam despite changes in appearance.
Name the three stages in order.
- gender identity
- gender stability
- gender constancy
how old is the child and what happens in stage 1 of kohlbergs theory?
2 years old, can label their own gender, but believe if their appearance changes then they might change gender
how old is the child and what happens in stage 2 of kohlbergs theory?
4 years old, knows their own gender is fixed but don’t think everyone else is.
how old is the child and what happens in stage 3 of kohlbergs theory?
7 years old, understands gender is a fixed characteristic for EVERYONE
What evidence is there to support Kohlbergs theory? 1
Thompson - 2 year olds were 76% correct in identifying their sex, 3 year olds were 90% correct - proves as you get older you understand gender more.
What evidence is there to support Kohlbergs theory? 2
Tested understanding of gender across diverse cultures - all go through same stages - therefore theory can be considered universal regardless of social and cultural influences.
what evidence challenges Kohlbergs theory?
challenges the idea that children need a sophisticated understanding of gender prior to displaying gender. proven children show gender preferences much earlier than 7, more like 2-3 years old.
what issue is there with kohlbergs theory?
does not fully recognise th potential of genes and hormones - David reimer - biological maturation (cognitive awareness) was not the main factor in determining his gender identity.
why is kohlbergs theory slightly reductionist?
ignores powerful social influences from parents, peers, media therefore is a limited explanation. BUT more balanced on the nature nurture spectrum than the SLT and biological - doesn’t break it down to just genes
who came up with the gender schema theory?
Martin and halverson
In what sense did the gender schema theory agree with Kohlberg?
cognitive processes are the important factor in gender development and that gender understanding increases with age.
In what sense did the gender schema theory disagree with Kohlberg?
That specific cognitive processes are involved and the age age at which these occurred.
At what age did GS theory believe an understanding of gender develops and what happens for it to develop?
3 years old, child begins searching for info in their environment to form an organised, mental cluster of related info about gender - their GENDER SCHEMA
what happens in GS theory when the schema has developed?
child forms an in-group schema about their own gender and an out-group of opposite.
which group in or out does the child pay most attention to in GS theory?
their in-group, becomes well develop and out group remains basic until later life, therefore girls know a lot abut girls and vice versa with boys.
what information also does the child pay most attention to in the GS theory? give an example.
info that fits within their gender and they ignore info that is inconsistent with their gender. EG. child may have a schema where they see a nurse is a female occupation therefore if they saw a male nurse would not absorbs that info and would not remember but schema comes more flexible as you get older.
what evidence is there to support gender schema theory?
showed pics to children of gender consistent and inconsistent roles, found that children remembered consistent pics e.g. male fire fighter then inconsistent e.g. female as a mechanic.
what evidence is there to criticise this theory?
found that girls have a more flexible gender schema than boys - theory makes no attempt to explain this leaving it incomplete and is beta biased
why is GS theory simplistic?
purely on the basis of cognitive processes - better explained by a combination of influences e.g. David reimer - had a gender schema representing females he was unable to adopt a female gender role
how is the GS theory ethnocentrically biased?
assumes that Western cultures represent normal human gendered behaviour - some cultures operate a society where gender is not important of male and female behaviour - shows GST is only a explanation of gender development in societies in which there are clearly differentiated gender roles.
