Gender Schema - AO3 Flashcards
1
Q
What are two strengths of gender schema?
A
- P: Strength = has research support
- E: Martin and Halverson (1983) found that children under 6 were more likely to recall gender appropriate photographs than gender inappropriate a week later
- E: Children tended to change gender of the person carrying out the gender inappropriate activity in the photographs when asked to recall them
- L: Supports GST which predicts that children under 6 would do this in contrast to Kohlberg’s theory
- P: Strength = GST can account for cultural differences
- E: Cherry (2019) argues gender schema not only influence how people process information but also what counts as culturally appropriate behaviour
- E: In societies wherer perceptions of gender have less rigid boundaries, children are more likely to acquire non-standard gender stereotypes
- L: Contrasts with some other explanations of gender development such as psychodynamic which suggests gender identity is more driven by unconscious biological urges
2
Q
What is a limitation of gender schema theory?
A
- P: Limitation = gender identity probably develops earlier
- E: Zosuls at al (2009): analysed twice weekly reports from 82 mothers on their children’s language from 9-21 months and videotapes of children at play
- E: Children labelled themselves as boy or girl on average at 19 months - as soon as they begin to communicate
- L: Suggests Martin and Halverson may have underestimated children’s ability to use gender labels for themselves
3
Q
What is something to consider about gender schema theory?
A
- P: Timing
- E: Kohlberg argues that children must achieve gender constancy before they begin to show gender appropriate and look for role models to imitate
- E: Martin and Halverson argue that children show signs of gender appropriate behaviour shortly after gender identity (age 2)
- L: Kohlberg was wrong and gender appropriate behaviour begins before gender constancy or it could be that gender constancy itself develops before age 6
