Gender Schema Theory

Question 1

What is Gender Schema Theory?

Answer 1

• Martin and Halverson account is a cognitive development theory which argues children’s understanding of gender changes with age
• shares Kohlberg’s view that children develop understanding by actively structuring their own learning, rather than passively observing/imitating role models.

Question 2

When do Gender Schema develop?

Answer 2

• a gender schema is a generalised representation of everything we know in relation to gender and stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour
• Martin and Halverson say only after a child has established gender identity he or she will begin to search he environment for info that encourages development of gender schema
• contrasts Kohlbergs theory that process begins after all 3 stages

Question 3

How do gender schema determine behaviour?

Answer 3

• for young children gender schema are likely to be formed around stereotypes which provide a framework that a directed experience as well as the child’s understanding of itself
• by 6 children have fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender
• children’s r therefore likely to disregard info that does not fit within existing schema

Question 4

What is an Ingroup?

Answer 4

• better understanding of the schema that are appropriate to their own gender
• consistent with the idea that children pay more attention to info relevant to gender identity, rather than the other gender (outgroup)
• not until a little older (8) develop elaborate schema for both genders
• ingroup identity bolster child’s self esteem

Question 5

What was Martin and Halverson’s study?

Answer 5

• found children under 6 were more likely to remember photos of stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour, a week later children tended to change the gender of a person carrying out a gender inappropriate activity in photos when asked to recall them

Question 6

How is gender schema theory in relation to cultural differences a strength?

Answer 6

• Cherry argued gender schema influence what counts as culturally appropriate behaviour. Traditional cultures will raise children who form schema which are consistent with traditional views
• in societies where gender is more fluid, children are likely to acquire more fluid gender schema
• Martin and Halverson’s theory can explain how gender schema are transmitted between members of a society and how cultural differences in gender stereotypes come about

Question 7

How do they disagree with Kohlberg?

Answer 7

• They disagree on when children begin searching the environment for what counts as gender appropriate behaviour. Kohlberg argues that happens after gender constancy (6)
• Martin and Halverson argue shortly after gender identity stage (2) because children are in the process of building ingroup gender schema.
• Contradictory research