Gender x Flashcards
What did Smith and Lloyd 1978 do ?
They conducted research into 4-6 month old babies who (irrespective of their actual sex) were dressed half the time in girls’ clothes. When observed interacting with adults, babies assumed to be ‘boys’ were given a hammer- shaped rattle and encouraged to be adventurous and active. when the same babies were dressed as ‘girls’ they were handed a cuddly doll, frequently told they were ‘pretty’ and were reinforced by being passive.
What are the three stages of Kohlberg’s theory of cognitive explanations for gender ?
stage one : Gender identity
stage two : Gender stability
stage three: Gender constancy
What is stage one gender identity ?
At the around the age of two, children are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy or a girl. This is gender identity . At 3 most children are properly able to identify other people as male or female and, can correctly respond to questions such as, ‘Which one of these is like you? ‘ if they are shown a picture of a man or a woman. Their understanding of gender tends not to stretch much beyond simple labelling. However, often, children of this age group are not aware that sex is permanent, for instance, a two year and a half year old boy may be heard to say ‘When I grow up I will be a mummy ‘.
What age does gender identity start at (roughly) ?
at the age of 2 approximately.
What is stage two : Gender stability ?
At age 4 , children acquire gender stability. With this comes the realisation that they will always stay the same gender and that this is an aspect of themselves that remains consistent over time. That said, children at this age cannot apply logic to other people in other situations. They are often confused by external changes in appearance - they may describe a man who has long hair as a woman and they also believe that people change sex if they engage in activities that are more often associated with the opposite gender (such as a female builder or a male nurse) .
What age does stage two gender stability start at ?
age 4
What is stage three Gender constancy ?
Gender constancy occurs in the final stage of development. At around age 6, children recognise that gender remains constant and consistent across time and situations, and this understanding is applied to other people’s
