Cognitive Explanations Of Gender: Kohlbergs Theory

Question 1

What is Kohlbergs’ theory based on?

Answer 1

The idea that a childs’ understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age.

Question 2

What is the link between gender and age a result of?

Answer 2

Biological maturation.

Question 3

What does understanding gender run parallel to?

Answer 3

Intellectual development as the child matures biologically.

Question 4

What are the 3 stages of gender development?

Answer 4

1. Gender identity
2. Gender stability
3. Gender consistency

Question 5

What age is stage 1 (gender identity)?

Answer 5

Around age 2 - 3

Question 6

What age is stage 2 (gender stability)?

Answer 6

Age 4 - 5

Question 7

What age is stage 3 (gender consistency)?

Answer 7

Age 6

Question 8

What can children in stage 1 do?

Answer 8

• Identify themselves as a boy or girl.
• Identify others as male or female.

Question 9

What doesn’t understanding of gender go beyond in stage 1?

Answer 9

Simple labelling.

Question 10

What are children in stage 1 unaware of?

Answer 10

That sex is permanent.

Question 11

What do children in stage 2 realise?

Answer 11

They will always stay the same sex however they can’t apply this logic to others.

Question 12

What are children in stage 2 often confused by?

Answer 12

External change in appearance.

Question 13

How do children in stage 2 believe people will change sex?

Answer 13

If they engage in activities associated with the opposite gender.

Question 14

What do children in stage 3 start to realise?

Answer 14

Gender remains constant across time and situations - applied to themselves and others.

Question 15

Who do children in stage 3 begin to seek out?

Answer 15

Gender appropriate role models to identify with and imitate - links to SLT.

Question 16

Once a child is fully developed and internalised concepts of gender what do they do?

Answer 16

Embark on an active search for evidence which confirms the concept.

Question 17

What do children in stage 3 begin to do?

Answer 17

Gender stereotyping.

Question 18

Research support :)

Answer 18

• Evidence suggests gender - stereotyping begins at age 6.
• Damon told children a story about a boy who played with dolls:
• 4 year olds said it was fine however 6 year olds said it was wrong.
• Shows that 6 early olds have gone beyond understanding what boys and girls do but now developed rules for them to follow.
• Therefore, children who reach consistency develop gender - related stereotypes.

Question 19

However ( research support) other research challenges the idea of gender consistency developing at age 6:

Answer 19

• Bussey and Bandura found children as young as 4 reporting to feel good playing with gender related toys and feeling bad when playing with toys associated with the opposite gender.
• This contradicts what Kohlberg suggested but may support gender schema theory - children absorb gender appropriate info as soon as they identify as male or female.

Question 20

Methodological problem

Answer 20

• Supporting research relies on unsatisfactory methods to assess gender consistency.
• Bem criticised methodology found in studies linking gender and cognitive explanations.
• The key test of gender is often to see whether a child understands that gender stays the same despite changes in appearance and context.
• Bem suggests that instead the best way to identify male and female is by identifying genitalia.
• 40% of children 3-5 could demonstrate consistency.
• Therefore the typical way of testing gender may misinterpret what young children actually know.

Question 21

Degrees of consistency

Answer 21

• Martin eat al. Suggests different degrees of gender consistency.
• Initial degree may orient children to the importance of gender - this may develop before age 6.
• Second degree - heightens children’s responsiveness to gender norms.
• Therefore consistency may be a gradual process and begin earlier than Kohlberg suggested.