cognitive explanations of gender development: Kohlberg's theory

Question 1

Outline Kohlberg’s theory of gender development.

Answer 1

• Kohlberg’s theory of gender development is based on the idea that a child’s understanding about gender develops with age
• children learn their appropriate gender roles and behaviours through actively constructing an understanding of the world through interacting with the environment.
• Kohlberg suggested the child will go through three stages of gender development (Gender identity, Gender stability, Gender constancy)
• It also suggests infants are restricted by their cognitive capabilities at each stage to develop a better understanding of gender.

Question 2

Describe the gender identity stage.

Answer 2

• Basic gender identity is established which is also known as the realisation if whether you are male or female and the ability to label the gender of someone else correctly, it occurs during the ages of 1.5 to 3
• Gender identity is fragile and is based on outward appearance, children at this stage do not realise gender is fixed for themselves and others

Question 3

Describe the gender stability stage.

Answer 3

-Through the ages of 3 to 5 the gender stability stage will occur and children will start to realise that gender is fixed for themselves, however they fail to understand it is fixed for others as well as they still rely on physical characteristics to determine someones gender.

Question 4

Describe the gender constancy stage.

Answer 4

• This stage occurs when the child is 6 to 7 years old. they will recognise gender is stable for everyone and they no longer base gender on physical characteristics.
• At gender constancy children will start to identify with their same sex role models and adopt their gender appropriate behaviours.

Question 5

AO3 for Kohlberg’s theory of gender development

Answer 5

• David Reimer (Nature)
• Slaby and Frey (Individual differences)
• Houston (Beta bias)

Question 6

Outline how Slaby and Freys research weakens Kholberg’s theory of gender development

Answer 6

P: Kohlberg’s theory of gender development is criticised as research evidence shows us there are individual differences when it comes to the age certain children will reach gender constancy.

E: It has been found gender constancy appeared in children as young as 5 years old which is younger than Kholberg suggested which was 6 to 7 years of age.

E:This does not fully criticise the theory as it still supports the claim that children do eventually reach the constancy stage as they grow older.

L: However this research does show us we cant conclude that children’s cognitive abilities are determined by their age as some children have shown to have better cognitive abilities than others as they can gain a better understanding of gender a lot quicker.

Question 7

Outline how Huston research weakens Kholberg’s theory of gender development.

Answer 7

P: Huston has provided research displaying Kholberg’s theory as being Beta bias.

E: He found that it was easy to make girls engage in masculine activities however it was harder to make boys engage in feminine activities.

E: This can be explained through the social learning theory, males are more dominant role models compared to females therefore when children who are males identify with their same sex role models they are less likely going to deviate away from the behaviours.

L: This shows us Kholberg ignores the differences between males and females in the gender constancy stage as females may not adopt the behaviours of their same sex role models and it just assumes all children will regardless of their sex.