Cognitive explanation: Gender Schema Theory

Question 1

Who created the gender schema theory?

Answer 1

Martin and Halverson

Question 2

What is a gender schema?

Answer 2

Organised set of beliefs and expectations about gender which guides gender-appropriate behaviour.

Question 3

How is gender schema relevant to gender development?

Answer 3

• Only gender identity is needed for the development of gender schema.
• Age 2/3 children begin to search the environment for information that encourages development of gender schema.

Question 4

What are schemas likely to be formed around?

Answer 4

Stereotypes, e.g. girls play with dolls, boys with trucks.

Question 5

How does schema direct behaviour influence self-undertsanding and gender development?

Answer 5

• Schemas provide a framework that directs experience as well as a child’s understanding of itself.
• By the age of 6, the child has a rather fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for its gender.
• Children are like to misremember/disregard information that does not fit in with their existing schema.

Question 6

Do children pay more attention to in-groups or outgroups?

Answer 6

• Children pay more attention to in-group (own gender).

- At 8 years of age they develop elaborate schemas for both genders.

Question 7

State 2 positives of gender schema theory.

Answer 7

Rigidity of gender beliefs
Evidence supports gender schema:
- Martin and Halverson
- Study - gender-consistent and gender-inconsistent photos.
- Change sex of person in gender-inconsistent photos in recall.
- Supports the idea that memory may be distorted to fit with existing gender schemas.

Question 8

State a negative of gender schema theory.

Answer 8

Overemphasis on the role of the individual:

- may not be sufficient attention paid to the role of social factors such as parental influence/rewards/punishments.