*Cognitive Theory: Gender Schema Theory Flashcards
What does gender schema theory argue about children’s understanding of gender?
Children’s understanding of gender changes with age (it’s developmental)
Proposed by Martin and Halverson
How do children develop their understanding of gender according to gender schema theory?
By actively structuring their own learning, rather than passively observing and imitating role models
This contrasts with social learning theory
What are gender schemas?
Mental constructs that develop via experience used to organize knowledge about gender and gender-appropriate behavior
A gender schema is a generalized representation of everything known about gender
At what age do children typically establish gender identity?
Around 2-3 years old
After establishing gender identity, children search for information that encourages the development of gender schema
What is a key difference between gender schema theory and Kohlberg’s view?
Gender schema theory suggests children develop gender understanding before age 7, while Kohlberg stated it occurs only after progressing through all 3 stages
Kohlberg’s stages are a developmental theory of gender understanding
How do gender schemas influence behavior in young children?
They expand to include a range of behaviors and personality traits, often formed around stereotypes
These stereotypes provide a framework for understanding themselves and their experiences
What happens to children’s understanding of gender by age 6?
Children have a fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender
They are likely to disregard information that doesn’t fit with their existing schema
How does ingroup information relate to children’s memory of gender schemas?
Children tend to better remember schemas appropriate to their own gender (ingroup)
This indicates children pay more attention to information relevant to their gender identity
At what age do children develop elaborate schemas of both genders?
About age 8
Prior to this age, children primarily focus on their own gender’s schemas
What evidence supports the strengths of gender schema theory?
Martin and Halverson’s study found children under 6 were more likely to remember photographs of gender-appropriate behavior
This supports the theory’s prediction regarding memory of gender-related behaviors
What is a limitation of gender schema theory regarding the age of gender identity development?
Gender identity might develop earlier than Martin and Halverson suggest
Zsouls et al’s study found children labeling themselves as a boy or girl as early as 19 months
What was the method used by Zsouls et al in their study on gender identity?
Data was gathered from twice weekly reports from parents and video analysis of children at play
This method measured how and when children labeled themselves by gender
What cultural aspect does gender schema theory account for?
Gender schema theory can account for cultural differences in gender-appropriate behavior
It explains how schemas are transmitted and how cultural differences in stereotypes arise
True or False: Gender schema theory suggests that gender schemas are fixed and do not change over time.
False
Gender schemas are developmental and can change with new experiences
Fill in the blank: A _______ is a generalized representation of everything we know in relation to gender and gender-appropriate behavior.
gender schema
