Cognitive Explanations: Kohlberg's Theory

Question 1

What was Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 1

• Based on the idea that a childs understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age
• But the link with age is not because of experience- it comes as a result of biological maturation, as the brain matures so does thinking
• Gender development is thought to progress through three stages

Question 2

What are the 3 stages of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 2

1. Gender Identity
2. Gender Stability
3. Gender Constancy

Question 3

What is stage 1 of Kohlberg’s Theory?

Answer 3

Gender Identify
- Around age of 2 Kohlberg proposed that children are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy or girl- this is gender identity
- At 3 years most children are able to identify other people as boys/men/girls or women
- Their understanding of gender tends not to stretch much beyond simple labelling
- Often children of this age group do not view gender as fixed e.g. a 2 & 1/2 year old boy may be heard to say ‘when i grow up i will be a mummy’

Question 4

What is stage 2 of Kohlberg’s Theory?

Answer 4

Gender Stability
- According to K at age 4 children acquire gender stability- with this comes realisation that they will always stay the same gender
- Children of this age cannot apply this logic to other people in other situations
- They are often confused by external changes in appearance- they may describe a man who has long hair as a woman & also believe that people change gender if they engage in activities that are more often associated with a different gender
- e.g. a women being a builder

Question 5

What is stage 3 of Kohlberg’s Theory?

Answer 5

Gender Constancy
- Appears in final stage of development
- Kohlberg claimed that around age of 6 children recongise gender remains constant across time & situations & this understanding is applied to other peoples gender as well as their own
- No longer fooled by changes in outward appearance, although they may regard a man wearing a dress as unusual, a child is able to understand that he is stil a man ‘underneath’
- GC is also significant in that children of this age begin to seek out gender appropriate role models to identify w & imitate

Once a chid has a fully developed & internalised concept of gender at the constancy stage, they embark upon an active search for evidence which confirms that concept
A tendancy towards gender stereotyping begins to emerge at this age

Question 6

Give one strength of Kohlberg’s theory.

Answer 6

Research Support
- Evidence suggests that gender stereotyping does emerge around the age of 6 (gender constancy stage) as he predicted

William Damon (1977)
- Told children a story about George, a boy who liked to play with dolls
- The children were asked to comment on the story
- 4 Year olds said it was fine for George to play with dolls if he wanted to
- But six year olds thought it was wrong for George to play with dolls
- They had gone beyond understanding what boys & girls do, to developing rules about what they ought to do (gender stereotyping)

This would suggest that children, who have as predicted, achieved constancy have formed rigid stereotypes regarding gender-appropriate behaviour

Question 7

What other research challanges the strength that an interest in gender appropriate behaviour only develops around the age of 6?

Answer 7

Kay Bussey & Albert Bandura (1999)
- Found that children as young as 4 reported ‘feeling good’ about playing with gender appropriate toys & ‘bad’ about doing the opposite

• This contradicts what Kohlberg’s theory would predict, but may support gender schema theory which suggests that children begin to absorb gender-appropriate information as soon as they idenitfy themselves as either a boy or a girl (gender identity)

Question 8

Give one limitation of Kohlberg’s theory.

Answer 8

• Supporting research relies on unsatisfactory methods to assess gender constancy

Sandra Bem (1989)
- Has criticised the methodology used in many studies of the link between gender & 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 & context
- Bem argued that it is little wonder younger children are confused by this as in our culture this is how we demacrate one gender from another.
- We identify men & women through things like the clothes they wear & their hairstyle
- In reality the best way to identify males & females is through physical differences such as genitalia- something that younger children apparently do not understand
- In her own study, Bem demonstrated that 40% of children aged 3-5 years were able to demonstrate constancy if shown a naked photo of the child to be identified first (i.e base their judgements on more than clothing).

Suggests that the typical way of testing gender constancy may misrepresent what younger children actually know.

Question 9

Give another limitation of Kohlbergs theory.

Answer 9

• Other researchers have suggested there may be different degrees of gender constancy.

Carol Martin et al (2002):
- Praise Kohlbergs theory for recongising that childrens understanding of own & other peoples gender guides, thoughts & behaviour.
- Point out though that exactly when & how this understanding affects childrens gender-related behaviour remains unclear
- Martin et al suggest there may be different degrees of gender constancy. An initial degree may orient children to the importance of gender- in choosing friends or seeking information, & this may develop before the age of 6
- A second degree of constancy (which develops later) may heighten childrens responsiveness to gender norms, particularly under conditions of conflict, such as choosing appropriate clothes or attitudes.
This suggests that the acquisition of constancy may be a more gradual process & may begin earlier than Kohlberg thought.