gender development Flashcards
toy preferences as early as 1 yr
not only preference for gender typical toys but neutral toys if believed gender appropriate
toy preferences on latter half of their second year (1-2 yrs of age)
form gender-related expectations about he kinds of objects and activities that are typically associated with boys and girls
how do toddlers interpret their gender by age 2-3?
age 2-3: learn which gender group they belong to and by age 3, to use gender terms (e.g., boy) in their speech
preschool years in children
increase in gender differentiation in play and time among same-gender peers
- avoid peers who violate gender-typical behavior
- gender segregation appears to be culturally universal
middle childhood (8-9-10) boys vs girls:
- boys: tend to value self-assertion and peer groups are more likely to reflect norms of dominance, self reliance and hiding vulnerability
- girls: tend to value affiliation or a balance of self-assertion and affiliation; peer groups are more likely to reflect norms of intimacy, collaboration and emotional sharing
how do children interpret their gender around 9 or 10 yrs
show understanding that gender is a social category, and that gender roles are social conventions not biological outcomes
- realize that gender discrimination is unfair and noticing when it occurs
gender-role intensification
heightened concerns with adhering to traditional gender roles
gender-role flexibility
allows adolescents (girls more than boys) to transcend traditional conventions and pursue a more flexible range of interests
Difference in communication/social interaction Styles
Social problem solving - how conflicts are resolved
- Girls more likely to compromise / boys more likely to engage in physical force
Shared emotion (girls) vs. Shared activities/interests (boys)
four key processes for social learning theories:
- attention (to gender info)
- memory (for that info)
- motivation (to repeat gender typed behavior)
- production (of gender behavior)
parents generally DO:
- reward and support gender stereotypical behavior
- buy gender stereotypical toys
- talk differently to children (e.g., emotions)
parents generally do NOT:
- display difference in warmth
- differ in responsiveness
- restrict activities
conversational differences
- fathers tend to use more instructional talk with sons that with daughter
- parents and other adults are more likely to comment on girls’ physical appearance and attire than on boys’
observational learning
- children see and experience roles of adults’ fo different gender in society, result in in gender-typed activities
- attend more to, and remember better, info about same gender activities/toys
gender schema theory
motivation to enact gender-typed behaviors begins soon after children can label other people’s and their own gender during toddlerhood
gender self-socialization
- child determines what other info they learn about gender
- e.g., initial prefs for trucks leads them to learn more about trucks and less about dolls
according to the social cognitive theory, learning about gender occurs via:
- tuition: direct teaching
- enactive experience: experiencing the reactions one’s behavior evokes in others
according to the social cognitive theory, adults are more upset when boys engage in what behavior?
cross-gender-typed behaviors because the asymmetry is tied to men’s dominant status in society
social role theory
emphasize how cultural practice both reflect and perpetuate gender divisions
- diff expectation among genders stem from the division of labor in a given society
- parents frequently assign diff chores to boys and girls
kohlberg’s theory of gender role development
- children’s understanding of gender involves 3 processes
- gender identity by 30mos (not fixed)
- gender stability by 3-4 yrs (quasi-fixed; appearance still matters)
- gender constancy by 6 yrs (fixed)
- begin self-socializing
gender schemas
mental representations incorporating everything they know about gender
ways to talk, look, play, etc.
in-group/out-group distinction (us. vs. them)
Name four key processes involved in gender socialization according to social learning theories
________ (to gender info)
________ (for that info)
________ (to gender info)
________ (to gender info)
attention, memory, motivation, production
T/F: Gender role intensification increases in early childhood, a period when children’s play becomes especially segregated by gender
False, Your motivation to conform is very explicit, but we are not saying it is that explicit
T/F: Enactive experience concerns how children learn to be less biased by experiencing what it feels like to be discriminated against
False
gender identity
our deeply held, internal sense of self as masculine, feminine, a blend of both, neither, or something else
3 physiological categories at birth
Female
Male
Intersex (both male & female physiological traits)
neuroscience approach to gender
Focus on how hormones and brain functioning are related to variations in gender development
androgens
hormones that normally occur at higher levels in males than females. They affect physical development and functioning from the prenatal period onward
other forms of socialization
Categorization - others label and treat children according to their assumed gender
Modeling - indirect exposure to social stereotypes
Tuition - direct teaching
Policing - rewarding behaviours associated with child’s assumed gender and punishing non-conforming behaviours
two spirit
an umbrella term used by some Indigenous peoples of North America (often, but not always) to refer to an Indigenous person who identifies as having both a masculine and feminine spirit
how do children think about and feel their gender identity
ingroup bias: - preference for one’s own gender and sentiment that one’s own gender is superior to other
- very strong in early childhood
CAH Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Surplus in steroid hormones (cortisol and aldosterone) which leads to overproduction of androgen (male sex hormone)
- Females: Ambiguous genitalia , “masculine” physical traits
- Males: Enter puberty much earlier
T/F: Sex/gender is a continuous variable (biologically)
True
gender differences in aggression
Boys are more likely to appraise a conflict as competitions that require use of direct aggression
- Perceived threat = increase in testosterone
- Increase in testosterone = correlated with greater displays of aggression
intersex
Individuals born with chromosome patterns, gonads, and/or genitalia that do not coincide with either binary sex
Self-Socialization
Most children seek to align themselves with traits, behaviours, values, expressions of their gender group
Children generally begin to exhibit gender toy preferences as early as
12 mos
T/F: According to Kohlberg children achieve gender constancy between 5-7 years of age
True
By what age do children start to show understanding that gender is a social category and that gender roles are social conventions not biological outcomes?
9-10
Explicit race bias emerges by _____ age and peaks around ______
2-3 (3-4) , 7
What period in development do children typically experience gender-role intensification
asolescence
What period in development do children typically experience gender-role flexibility?
adolescence
T/F: gender typically was not affected by how long child had been socially transitioned (living as their gender)
True
pressure to conform
feelings of pressure from parents, peers, and self for conformity to gender stereotypical behaviors and traits
john money’s theory of gender neutrality
gender identity is malleable and can be shaped entirely by socialization during early development
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what does this video challenge?
challenges john money’s theory of gender neutrality by showing disconnect between externally imposed gender roles and individuals’ true sense of identity, revealing flaws in gender neutrality approach
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: did this video shape your own ideas about biology, gender, and socialization?
- challenges binary thinking by showing diversity of human experiences, emphasizing that biology does not always fit into neatly defined categories of male or female
- reflect on importance of respecting self-identified gender over externally imposed norms, fostering inclusive perspectives on gender diversity
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what is the focus?
explores complexities of intersex conditions, including medical, social and psyc impacts on individuals whose biological characteristics do not fit typical male or fem. def.
who is dr. tiger devore?
clinical psychologist and intersex individual who shares personal experiences and advocates for greater awareness and ethical treatment of intersex people
his testimony revealed lasting psyc. trauma caused by early medical interventions and reinforced the need to respect individual agency and identity
how did efforts to socialize intersex individuals into gender other than how they felt affect them?
efforts often led to psychological distress, identity struggles, depression, and alienation from their true selves
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what does it suggest about relationship between socialization and gender identity?
highlights that socialization cannot override intrinsic gender identity, and that imposing gender role contrary to individual’s sense of self can cause harm
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what role does biology play in gender identity?
deeply rooted in biology and psyc, challenging idea that it can be fully shaped by socialization
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what criticisms does it raise about early surgical interventions on intersex children?
criticizes lack of consent, potential psyc. harm, and assumption that gender identity can be imposed rather than being innate
video ‘is it a boy or a girl’: what ethical considerations regarding intersex individuals are highlighted?
importance of informed consent, respecting individual’s sense of identity, and avoiding unnecessary medical interventions for sake of societal norms.
what real world failures highlight limitations fo john money’s gender neutrality theory?
intersex individuals raised as gender that didn’t align with their identity often rejected imposed role, proving that socialization alone cannot shape gender identity
what specific outcomes are tied to early medical interventions on intersex children?
physical complications, loss of sexual or reproductive function, psyc. trauma, and lifelong regret for irreversible surgeries preformed without consent.
