GENDER : COGNITIVE EXPLANATIONS - GENDER SCHEMA THEORY Flashcards
Who amde the gender shcme theory
Martin and Halversons (1981)
like kohlbergs theory the gender schema theory , is a cognitive developmental theory that argues …
childrens understanding of Gender changes with age
i.e its developmental
also the schema theory shares kohlbergs view that ( how kids develop understanding
children develop their understanding of gender by activley structuring their own learning
rather than by passivley observing and imitating their role models
schema is a concept introduced as part of the …
cognitive approach
what are schema
mental constructs that develop via experience and are used by our cognitive system to organise knwoledge around particular topics
schema develop are mental constructs that develop via experience but some of the mental constructs are
present at birth in a basic form
so suing what we know about shcema what is gender schema
a geenralised representation of everything we know in relation to gender and stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour
ording ot halverson and martin once a child has established gender identitiy .. around the age of
2-3
once achild has developed their gender identity at age of 2-3 they will begin to …
search the environment for info that encourages development of gender schema
how does the idea of child developing their gender identity at around 2-3 then searching enviro for info that encourages development of gender schema contrast kohlberg
kohlbergs view says this only begins after they have progressed through all 3 stages
around age 7 at gender constancy
gender schema expand to include a wide range of
behaviours and personality traits
for young children schema are likely ot be formed around what
stereotypes such as boys play with trucks
girls play with dolls
for yound kids schema are likely to be formed around stereotype such as boys play with trucks etc ,,: these privde a framework that
directs experience as well as the child’s understanding of itself
i.e im a boy so i play with trucks
by the age of 6 according ot the GST what do children have
a rather fixed and steretypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender
by the age of 6 kids gain a fixed and stereotyoucal idea about whats appropriate for their gender
for this reason what are kids likely to do
misrember or disregard info that doesnt fit with their existing schema
explain whats we mean when we say the in-group
kids tend to have a much better understanding of schema that are appropriate to their own gender
an ingroup is consistent with the idea
kids pay more attention to information relevant to their gender identity rather than that of the other gender
(outgroup)
when kids are a little older - around 8 what do they develop
elaborate schema for both genders
as opposed to just their own
when kids are a little older - around 8 what do they develop
elaborate schema for both genders
as opposed to just their own
what does an in group also serve to do
bolster the childs level of self esteem
define in group in simple terms
group with which a person identifies
define out group in simple terms
opposite group with whihc a person identifies
what do kids do to infor not consistent with in group schema
ignore any information that is not consistent with their in-group schema
becasue kids ignore any info thats inconsitent with their in group schema - what can we say about gender schema effects
gender schemas have very strong effects on what children remember and how they perceive the world.
Strength - supporting research
P: There is evidence to support the GST from HALVERSON and MARTIN(1983)
E: Children were shown a SERIES of GENDER CONSISTENT and GENDER INCONSISTENT photos and asked to RECALL these ONE WEEK later
E: Children under the age of 6 were more likely to remember GENDER CONSISTNET behaviour and change the SEX of the person carrying out the GENDER CONSISTENT activity
L: This demonstrates the IMPACT that GS have as the CHILD’S MEMORY was distorted to FIT with their EXISTING SHCMEA
This BENEFIICLAS AS supports the idea that children distort information so that it fits with their existing schemas AND DEMONSTRATE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT THAT gs HAVE (in real life ?)
limitaiton - exaggeration
According to this theory it should bePOSSIBLE to CHANGE a CHILDS BEHAVIOUR by changing their SHCEMAS or STEREOTYPES, however in reality this is very DIFIFCULT to do
E: For example, many MARRIED COUPLES have STRONG VIEWS related to .EQUAL of DIVISION OF LABOUR in the HOME, but research suggests this rarely has much EFFECT on BEHAVIOUR
L: the … … … therefore provides an … …
Likely that importance of schemas has been exaggerated at the expense of other environmental factors, such as the role that reinforcement plays in shaping the child’s sex-appropriate behaviour.
- Also doesn’t explain why, even when schemas change, a change in behaviour doesn’t always follow.
- This is reflected in the fact that many married couples have strong view about gender equality and equal division of labour in the home, but research suggests that this rarely has much effect on their behaviour.
THIS THEREFORE LIMITS THE VALIDITY AND FULL APPLICATION OF GENDER TO REAL LIFE - HOW DO I ROUND THIS NICELT } ask for help
strength - application - boys
P: A further strength of the GTS is that it can account for the fact that YOUNG BOYS tend to hold VERY FIXED and RIGID GENDER ATTITUDES
E: PINGREE (1978) found that TV ADS with women in NON STEREOTYPICAL ROLES led to STEREOTYPES becoming stronger in BOYS
E: The information in the ADS would be IGNORED or discounted by the boys in favour of INFORMATION that confirms there IN GROUP SCHEMA
L: Therefore, the GST can explain many ASPECTS of YOUNG CHILDRENS THINKING about gender in REAL LIFE
LIMITATION - CHALLENGING RESEARCH
EINSENBERG ET AL 1982
When describing toys that other children would like, 3 and 4 year old children used sex-role-oriented thinking to justify their answers
- They used significantly less of this type of reasoning to justify decisions regarding their own toy preferences.
- After a session of free play they did not justify their toy choices by referring to gender, but by referring to the toys themselves and what they could do.
- This is a challenge for gender schema theory because it suggests that children’s behaviour is not being shaped by their schemas, but rather that they may fall back on schemas to make sense of behaviour they may not know the motives for.
