GENDER: COGNITIVE EXPLANATIONS - KOHLBERGS THEORY Flashcards
Kohlbergs cognitive developmental theory f gender is based on the idea :
a childs understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age
understanding of gender relates to…
3 points
what coutns as appropriate gender roles, behaviours and attitudes
a childs understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age BUT THE LINK WITH AGE IS NOT BECAUSE OF..
EXPERIENCE
the link with age, in the sense a childs understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age, is due to
2 marks
biological maturation - as the brain matures so does thinking
understanding of gender runs parrallel to .,
intellectual development as the child amtures biologically
gender develpometn progresses through how many stages
3
how do we describe the ages suggested by kohlberg in each of his stages
approximate
the ages suggested by kohlberg in each stage are approximate and reflect the fact that…
transition from stage to stage is gradual instead of suden
state the 3 stages
gender identity
gender stability
gender constancy
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: arounf the age of 2 kohlberg proposed children are able to
to correctly identify themselves as a boy or gitrl
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: at age 3 most chidlren are able to identify
other people as boys/men girls/women
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: at age 3 most children can correctly repsond to questions such as … if
‘whihc one of these is like you?’ , if shown a picture of a man or woman
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: hwever at age 3 theri understnding of gender tends not to stretch beyond
simple labelling
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: how do children of this age group/3 view gender as
not fixed
STAGE 1 GENDER IDENTITY: for instance how may we understand a child arounf the 3 yea old age group doens tview gender as fixed
2.5 year old boy might say ‘when i grow up i want to be a mummy’
STAGE 2 GENDER STABILITY : According to kohlberg at age 4 chidlren acquire
gender stability
STAGE 2 GENDER STABILITY : gender stability comes with the relasiatio that
2 points
they will always stay the same gender ; this aspect of themselves stays the same overtime
STAGE 2 GENDER STABILITY : children gain the understanding they will always be te same gender but what ar ethey not able to do with this logic
cannt apply this logic to other people in other situations
STAGE 2 GENDER STABILITY : carrying on from idea kids understand gender will remain fixed but arent able to apply thi slogic t other peopel and otehr situations - they amy be confused by … hint: appearance
often confused by external changes in appearance
STAGE 2 GENDER STABILITY : explain how kids may be confused by external changes in appearnace
2 points/ways
may describe man wo has long hair as a woman
beleive people change gender if engage in activities more associated with the opposite gender r.g builder thats a woman
nurse thats a man
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : Around the age of 6 kids recognise
gender remains constant over time and in different situations
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : teh understanding gender remains constant over time and situations is applied to
2 points
other peoples gender
as well as their own
e.g if boy grows long hair they not sudenly a girl
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : as a consequence that gender remaisn fixed kids no longer are
fooled by changes in outward appearance
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : athough in this stag they amy regard a men wearing a dress as unsual a child is able to understand :
he is still a man ‘underneath’
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : gender constancy is also significant in the fact kids of this age begin to seek out
gender appropriate role models to identify with and imitate
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : seeking out gender approriate role models to ID with and imitate closely connects with ideas in
the social leatrning theroy
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : the idea of sekeing gender appropriate role models etc connects with ideas of social learning thoery but social learning theorists argue
tehse processes can occur at any age rather than
only after the age of 6
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : for kohlberg once a chid has a fuly developed and internalised concept of gender at this tage what do tehy embark on
active search for evidence whihc confirms that concept
STAGE 3 GENDER CONSTANCY : what begins to emerge at this age?
after seeking appropriate gender models etc and emabrking on search for evidence which condirms internalsied concept of gender
gender stereotyping
what is a strength o- research support
P: there is evidence to support Kohlbergs theory of gender by Slaby and Fray
E: Children were presented with split screen images of men and women performing the same tasks
E: Younger children spent an equal amount of time watching both sexes, while children in the gender constancy stage spent longer looking at the same sex models
L: This demonstrates the claim that children who have acquired gender constancy will actively seek gender appropriate role models
strenght - internal validity
P: One strength of the research used to support kohlbergs cognitive theory of gender development is that it is high in internal validity
E: This is due to the fact that it was conducted in a controlled setting with standardised procedures
E: For example, each child saw the males and females carrying out the same activities to reduce confounding variables
L: Therefore, we can be sure that the conclusions about .gender constancy are genuine
Limitaiotn - opposing research
- check this
P: there is opposing research to Kohlberg’s theory from Bussey and Bandura (1992)
E: They found that kids as young as 4 years old reported feeling comfortable when playing with gender appropriate toys and uncomfortable when playing with opposite sex toys
E: This demonstrates that many kids begin to demonstrate (gender apropriate beaviour?) before gender constancy is reached
L: Kohls theory therefore provides an incomplete explanation of gender; this research can be better explained by the gender schema theory which suggests children begin to absorb gender appropriate information as soon as they discover their own gender identity
counterpoint ot limtiation of opposing research
coplimeting gender schema theory
P: However kohlbergs theory can be used to compliment the gender schema theory as both theories are describing slighlty diffrent processes in gender
E: Gender Constancy is about motivation, once children have a firmly established concept of what it is to be a boy or a girl, they are motivated to find more about this role
E: While the gender schema is more concerned with how organisation of information is misrembered or forgotten
L: together they provide a detailed account of how gender development occurs
