Gender - cognitive explanations

Question 1

Kohlberg’s 1966 cognitive stages of development

Answer 1

stage 1: gender identity
stage 2: gender stability
stage 3: gender constancy

Question 2

gender identity stage (Kohlberg)

Answer 2

2-3 years old, learning to identify boys and girls, correctly labelling themselves

Question 3

gender stability stage (Kohlberg)

Answer 3

4-5 years old, knowing that their gender stays the same throughout their life

Question 4

gender constancy stage (Kohlberg)

Answer 4

5-7 years old, knowing gender is constant even when behaviour and appearance change

Question 5

strengths of Kohlberg’s gender theory

Answer 5

+ Thompson (1975) found 76% could accurately identify their sex at 2 years old, 90% at 3 years old
+ Slaby (1975) asked children qs like ‘were you a boy or girl when you were a baby’, only started giving correct answers when aged 4-5

Question 6

limitations of Kohlberg’s gender theory

Answer 6

• descriptive rather than explanatory, does not explain how schemas around gender change overtime, SLT provides fuller explanation?
• reductionist, doesn’t recognise possible influences of people around them
• doesn’t account for transgender, non-binary, genderfluid people