Cognitive explanations of gender

Question 1

what are the two cognitive explanations of gender theory

Answer 1

• kohlbergs theory
• gender schema theory

Question 2

how many stages are in kohlberg’s theory

Answer 2

3

Question 3

what did kohlberg base his theory on

Answer 3

the way that we think changes and gets more sophisticated as we get older

Question 4

name the three stages of kohlberg’s theory

Answer 4

• stage 1 - gender identity
• stage 2 - gender stability
• stage 3 - gender constancy

Question 5

what is stage 1 of kohlberg’s theory

Answer 5

gender identity

Question 6

what is stage 2 of kohlberg’s theory

Answer 6

gender stability

Question 7

what is stage 3 of kohlberg’s theory

Answer 7

gender constancy

Question 8

when does stage 1 of kohlberg’s theory occur

Answer 8

aged 2-3

Question 9

when does stage 2 of kohlberg’s theory occur

Answer 9

aged 4-6

Question 10

when does stage 3 of kohlberg’s theory occur

Answer 10

aged 7 plus

Question 11

what are children in stage 1 of kohlberg’s theory understand

Answer 11

• correctly label their own gender
• know people are either boy/girl
• bases labelling off physical characteristics

Question 12

what does a child in stage 1 of kohlberg’s theory not understand

Answer 12

• sex is permanent overtime
• that gender goes beyond superficial outward physical characteristics (eg length of hair)

Question 13

what does a child in stage 2 of kohlberg’s theory undersyand

Answer 13

• gender is fixed over time (will always be a girl if a girl)
• THEIR gender doesn’t change even if outward appearance does

Question 14

what does a child in stage 2 of kohlberg’s theory not understand

Answer 14

• other people’s gender doesn’t change even if their outward appearance does
• labelling other people is driven by sex role characteristics (long hair/activities typical of one gender eg builder)

Question 15

what does a child in stage 3 of kohlberg’s theory understand

Answer 15

• everyone’s gender is fixed overtime, stays the same despite appearance changes
• begin learning gender appropriate behaviour

Question 16

what is significant about stage 3 of kohlberg’s theory

Answer 16

children begin learning gender appropriate behaviour and seek role models

Question 17

who came up with gender schema theory

Answer 17

Martin and Halverson

Question 18

what is a schema

Answer 18

cognitive mental framework of expectations that help us organise information

Question 19

what is a gender schema

Answer 19

expectations related to gender which help us understand our own and others gender appropriate behaviour

Question 20

what do the cognitive explanations say about gender development

Answer 20

gender development lies in children seeking to acquire information about their own gender

Question 21

in what two ways is the gender schema theory different to kohlberg’s theory

Answer 21

• the interest in gender appropriate behaviour begins before gender constancy
• schemas affect later behaviour

Question 22

what is an ingroup schema

Answer 22

the group the person identifies with

Question 23

what ingroups would a girl identiify with

Answer 23

• ‘girl’ ingroup
• singer she likes
• football team she likes
  etc

Question 24

what is an outgroup schema

Answer 24

the groups a person does not identify with

Question 25

what effect on perception do ingroup and outgroup schemas have

Answer 25

- positively view ingroup, negatively view outgroup (to enhance self esteem)

Question 26

what effect does outgroup have on a person's behaviour

Answer 26

avoid the behaviour resembling the outgroup

Question 27

how can gender schema theory explain the power of gender beliefs

Answer 27

children hold fixed gender attitudes because they ignore any information that isn't consistent with the ingroup information

Question 28

what happens if information doesn't fit with our gender schema

Answer 28

it is ignored or misremembered - leading to mistakes and influences perception of the world

Question 29

how do gender schemas affect peer relationships

Answer 29

children think children of the opposite sex should be avoided because they are unlike them and therefore are not fun - will be teased if play w those of opposite sex

Question 30

do gender schemas increase the likelihood of developing social relationships with same sex peers or decrease

Answer 30

increase

Question 31

at what age does a child have a schema of the opposite sex as developed as theirs

Answer 31

aged 8-10

Question 32

when does the assumption that what a childs own gender does is preferable get abandoned

Answer 32

adolescence