Gender Consistency Theory Flashcards
What are the 3 stages according to Kohlberg
1 - gender identity
2 - gender stability
3 - gender consistency
Describe the first stage of Kohlbergs theory
Gender identity
- around the age of 2, children are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy/girl
- they are unaware that sex is permanent
Describe the second stage of Kohlberg theory
Gender stability
- at age 4, children acquire gender stability
- the realisation that they will always stay the same gender
- still often confused with change in appearance - they might describe a man with long hair as a woman
Describe the third stage of Kohlbergs theory
Gender consistency
- around the age of 6, children recognise that gender remains constant across time and situations
- able to identify that a man wearing a dress is unusual however fhey are still a man
Explain the idea of imitation at the gender consistency stage
Once children above the age of 6 have a fully developed and internalised concept of gender, they actively search for evidence that confirms that concept through role models. This leads to them imitating their actions
Explain Damon’s study including aim, method, results and conclusion
Aim = to see if children’s understanding of gender changes with age
Method = children aged 4, 6, 8 were told a story about a boy who was playing with dolls, his parents tried to discourage him saying only girls played with dolls. Children were asked wether this was right or wrong
Results = the 4 years olds tended to say it was alright. The 6 year olds had a fixed idea and said it was wrong. The older children said that he could play with dolls although it’s unusual
Conclusion = children’s understanding of gender appropriate behaviour changes with age and reflects cognitive development
Explain one strength of Kohlbergs gender consistency theory
A study by Ronald Slaby in 1975:
Method = children were presented with split screen images of males and females performing the same task
Results = younger children spent roughly the same time watching both sexes, older children in the consistency stage spent long looking at the model that was the same sex
Conclusion = children who have acquired gender consistency will actively seek gender appropriate models
Explain one limitation of Kohlbergs gender consistency theory
Bandura in 1992 = found that children as youngest as 4 reported feeling good about playing with gender appropriate toys and bad about doing the opposite
Explain another limitation of Kohlbergs theory
Methodological issues:
- the theory was develop using interviews, interviewing children as young as 2
Children at this age lack the appropriate vocabulary to express exactly how their feeling
What did Piaget conclude
Young children cannot understand that certain things stay the same despite change in appearance
