Cognitive explanation for gender identity- Kolhberg

Question 1

what is the cognitive explanation?

Answer 1

• child’s mental concept of gender becomes more sophisticated with age as biological maturity increases
• often develop theories referring to stages

Question 2

what are Kohlberg’s 3 stages?

Answer 2

1. gender identity
2. gender stability
3. gender constancy

Question 3

what is stage 1 and what happens?

Answer 3

GENDER IDENTITIY
- 2 years old children correctly identify themselves as girl or boy
- 3 years old most identify others as girl/woman or boy/man
- dont see gender as fixed, simple labelling

Question 4

what is stage 2 and what happens?

Answer 4

GENDER STABILITY
- 4 years acquire gender stability that comes with realising that will always stay same gender
- cant apply logic to others as confused by changes in appearance eg man w long hair
- change gender if engage in activity associated with diff gender

Question 5

what is stage 3 and what happens?

Answer 5

GENDER CONSTANCY
- 6 years old and recognise gender remains constant across time and situations
- applied logic to other peoples gender and own
- more attentive to models that are same sex

Question 6

what does Kohlberg believe happens once child reaches constancy?

Answer 6

children will embark on active search for evidence which confirms their gender
- different to SLT bc believes we are passive

Question 7

A03

what supporting evidence is there?

Answer 7

Damon et al
- told story about a boy who likes to play w dolls, children asked to comment on story
- 4 year olds (stability) said was fine for him to play with dolls, 6 years (constancy) said was wrong
- suggests developed rules about what boys/girls aught to do when reach constancy

Question 8

A03

what contradictory research is there?

Answer 8

Bussey and Bandura
- children as young as 4 feel happier playing with gender appropriate toys and avoid gender inappropriate toys
- suggests know that gender is constant from earlier age than 6- as soon as know gender

Question 9

A03

what is a limitation of Kohlberg using interviews on children young as 2/3?

Answer 9

• children that young would be extremely difficult to interview
• communication barrier? or children may have not understood concepts being asked
• questions validity of data obtained

Question 10

how is the theory reductionist?

Answer 10

• differences like boys having less flexible concept of gender roles + more resistance to opp sex acitivities than girls is hard to explain by this theory
• differences could be cultural and result of socialisation- boys socialised to be strong
• girly ideal of traditional feminity is changing now and parents encouraging masculine traits eg independence
• SLT offers better explanation (obs + imit)