Cognitive explanations of gender development: Gender schema theory Flashcards
What is a schema?
A cognitive framework that helps us to assimilate new information
Who proposed gender schema theory?
Martin and Halverson
How do children learn gender schemas?
Through interaction with other children and adults + the media
What is an ingroup?
A group that we identify with
What is an outgroup?
A group that we do not identify with
How do children evaluate their ingroup?
Positively
How do children evaluate their outgroup?
Negatively
Why do people positively evaluate their ingroup?
It enhances their self esteem
Why do gender schemas lead to rigid gender attitudes?
Because we only assimilate consistent information
Why do children avoid interactions with members of the opposite sex?
Because they get teased for it
What are the 4 GST AO3 points?
1) RS for gender schemas without constancy
2) Gender identity earlier than proposed
3) Gender schemas organise memory
4) RWA - resilience of children’s gender schemas
What aged children did Martin and Little study?
4
What did Martin and Little find no sign of in the 4 year olds?
Gender stability or constancy
What did Martin and Little observe in the 4 year olds?
Strong stereotypes about boy and girl appropriate behaviour
How does Martin and Little’s research contradict Kohlberg’s theory?
Children developed awareness of gender appropriate behaviours before gender constancy
What did Zosuls observe?
Children’s language + them playing to see when they started gender labelling
What age did Zosuls find that gender labelling occurs?
19 months
How is Zosuls research a criticism of GST?
Contradicts the age related predictions of the GST
What task did Martin and Halverson have the children do?
Recall pictures of men or women in different work uniforms
What did Martin and Halverson find children under the age of 6 recalled?
Gender consistent images (e.g. male firefighter and female teacher)
Outline the study with gender neutral toys that supports the GST.
Children were shown gender neutral toys which were then labelled ‘girls toys’ or ‘boys toys’. The children paid most attention to the toys of their ingroup
How can GST be used to explain sexism in children?
Children seek out gender-appropriate schemas and tend to ignore counter-stereotypes
What did Hoffman find?
That children whose mothers work have less stereotyped views of what men do
