cognitive explanations: Kohlberg's theory

Question 1

what is his cognitive developmental theory

Answer 1

a child’s understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age.

Question 2

how many stages of development are there?

Answer 2

3

Question 3

what are the three stages

Answer 3

1. Gender identity
2. Gender stability
3. Gender constancy

Question 4

what age does stage 1 occur

Answer 4

around 2 years old

Question 5

what happens in stage 1

Answer 5

• gender identity
• kids are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy/girl`
• can label other people as men/women boy/girl
• understanding does not stretch further than simple labelling
• do not view gender as fixed, may want to be a ‘mummy’ when they grow up even if they are a boy.

Question 6

what age does stage 2 occur

Answer 6

at age 4

Question 7

what happens at stage 2

Answer 7

• gender stability
• realisation they will always be the same gender
• confused by external changes in apperance such as a man in a dress or woman in trousers, may believe people change gender if they engage in activities associated with another gender e.g. a woman who is a builder.

Question 8

what age does the final stage happen

Answer 8

around age 6

Question 9

what happens in the final stage

Answer 9

• recognises gender remains constant across time and situations.
• children begin to seek out gender appropriate role models to identify with and imitate.
• a tendency towards gender steryotyping begins.

Question 10

what are the strengths to this

Answer 10

• research support: suggests gender stereotyping does occur around 6 yrs old. (Damon 1977) told a story of boys who played with dolls to kids. 4 yr olds said he could play with dolls if he wanted but 6 yr olds thought it was wrong. Suggests kids do form rigid stereotypes.

Question 11

what are the weaknesses