5. cognitive explanations - Kohlberg Flashcards
The cognitive-developmental theory of gender is based on the idea that
a child’s understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age. The link with age is not because of experience, but it comes because of biological maturation - as the brain matures so does thinking.
Understanding of gender runs parallel to
intellectual development as the child matures biologically.
Gender development is thought to progress through three stages.
The ages suggested by Kohlberg are
transition in stages are?
approximate and reflect the fact that the transition between each stage is gradual not sudden.
STAGE 1: GENDER IDENTITY (2-3 YEARS)
describe tha child’s ability at 2 and 3 years
2 years: children correctly identify themselves as either a boy or a girl (gender identity)
3 years: children can identify other people as boys or girls.
They do not see gender as fixed.
STAGE 2: GENDER STABILTY (4-5 YEARS)
what is gender stability? what are they confused by in this stage?
children acquire gender stability - the realisation that gender is fixed, and they will stay the same gender. They cannot apply this logic to other people in other situations as they are confused by external changes in appearance e.g. may confuse a man with long hair as a woman and believe people change genders in activities that are more often associated with a different gender e.g. a nurse is a woman, a builder is a man.
STAGE 3: GENDER CONSTANCY (6 YEARS ONWARDS)
what do children realise? what do they start searching for?
Appears in the final stage of development. Kohlberg claimed that around the age of 6 years children recognise that gender remains constant across time and situations and this understanding is applied to their own as well as other people’s gender. They are no longer confused by the changes in appearance.
At this age children also begin to seek out gender-appropriate role models to identify with and imitate.
Once a child has a fully developed concept of gender at the constancy stage, they embark upon an active search for evidence which confirms that concept.
⭐️ A tendency towards gender stereotyping begins to emerge at this age.
AO3: strength of Kohlberg
RESEARCH SUPPORT - DAMON’s story
Evidence suggests that gender stereotyping does emerge round the age of 6 (gender constancy) as he predicted.
Damon told children a story about George - a boy who liked to play with dolls. The children were asked to comment on the story. Four-year-old boys said it was fine to play with dolls if he wanted to, whereas six-year-old boys thought it was wrong for George to play with dolls. They had gone beyond understanding what boys and girls do, to developing rules about what they had to do - gender stereotyping.
This suggests that children who have, as predicted, achieved constancy have formed rigid stereotypes regarding gender-appropriate behaviour.
AO3: limitation of Kohlberg
METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS - Bem’s own study
Supporting research relies on unsatisfactory methods to assess gender constancy.
Bem has criticised the methodology used in many studies of the link between gender and cognitive development. The key test of gender constancy in such studies is whether a child understands that gender stays the same despite changes in appearance and context. Bem argues that it is little wonder young children are confused by this as we identify men and women by their hairstyle and the clothes they wear. In reality, the best way to identify males and females is through physical differences such as genitalia which young children do not understand. In her own study Bem demonstrated 40% of children aged 3-5 years were able to demonstrate constancy if they were shown a naked photo of the child to be identified first.
This suggests that the typical way of testing gender constancy may misrepresent what younger children actually know.
AO3: limitation of Kohlberg
DEGREES OF CONSTANCY - Martin et al (2 degrees)
Other researchers have suggested there might be different degrees of constancy.
Martin et al. point out when and how a child’s understanding of gender affects their gender related behaviour remains unclear. They suggest there may be different degrees of gender constancy. An initial degree may orient children to the importance of gender - in choosing friends and seeking gender related information which may develop before the age of 6. A second degree of constancy which develops later may heighten the child’s responsiveness to gender norms such as choosing appropriate clothes or attitudes.
This suggests that the acquisition of constancy may be a more gradual process and may begin earlier than Kohlberg thought.
