Cognitive Explanations of Gender Development Flashcards

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1
Q

How does Kohlberg cognitively explain gender development?

A

Draws on own levels of moral development - that there are biologically predetermined stages we all go through when forming new ideas.

  1. Pre-conventional (obedience&punishment / individualism&exchange)
  2. Conventional (interpersonal relationships / authority&social order)
  3. Post-conventional (social contract / universal principles)
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2
Q

What is object permanence?

A

When you know something is there even if you can’t see it anymore.

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3
Q

What is conservation?

A

The idea that things are the same over time.

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4
Q

What are Kohlberg’s 3 stages of gender development?

A
  1. Gender Labelling
  2. Gender stability
  3. Gender constancy
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5
Q

What is the Gender Labelling (1) stage of Kohlberg’s cognitive theory?

A

~ 2-3 years old
~ Children label others and themselves
~ Pre-operational thinking
- lacks internal logic
- Not consistent because it’s based on external factors that can change
- Children gain schemata for simple masc. and fem. characteristics

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6
Q

What is the Gender Stability (2) stage of Kohlberg’s cognitive theory?

A

~ 4-7 years old
~ Children realise gender is stable over time
~ No concept of conservation
~ Children start to realise that gender and appearance are separate - anyone can perform any behaviour.

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7
Q

What is the Gender Constancy (3) stage of Kohlberg’s theory?

A

~ 7+ years
~ The belief that gender is entirely independent of time, place or appearance
~ Show preferences for gender-appropriate behaviour
~ Result of understanding that gender can’t change
~ Gender is fixed in child’s mind
~ Children will reject gender-inappropriate behaviour afterwards

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8
Q

Evaluate Kohlberg’s cognitive theory?

A

P - Lacks construct validity
E - Research shows boys develop constancy before girls, and girls perform masculine tasks for much longer than boys perform feminine tasks. Indicates a single stage for both genders is invalid.
E - Huston (1985) suggests due to SLT, male role models are more socially powerful so boys under greater pressure to identify with role models & do so quicker.
L - Highlights nature-nurture debate; Kohlberg & Piaget’s assumption of fixed, generalised stages based on biological determinism & ignore social learning factors.

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9
Q

What did Martin & Halverson (1981) add to Kohlberg’s (1966) theory?

A

Proposed 2 changes:

  • Learning of gender-relevant info happens before gender constancy
    • Gender labelling is enough to self-identify as a boy/girl.
    • Children will show preferences for gender-appropriate behaviour here.
  • The gender schema you form will have effects on your psychological functioning later in life - especially cognitive abilities like memory or attention span.
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10
Q

How does GST explain schemata?

A
  • Children’s schemata are formed using info from TV/parents/school/etc.
  • They contain information coloured by cultural norms.
  • Gender schemata are therefore very simplistic and ‘black and white’ at first - they’re full of stereotypical info.
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11
Q

What is in-group and out-group bias?

A
  • As children develop, they form schemata about other people as well as building their own gender schema.
  • Links are made between parts of your self-schema and groups you identify with.
  • Cognitive processing develops an in-group/out-group bias - this is natural and has evolutionary benefits
    ~ Maximisation of in-group positive qualities
    ~ Maximisation of out-group negative qualities
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