KOHLBERG'S THEORY

Question 1

What are the 2 cognitive explanations of gender development?

Answer 1

Kohlberg’s theory
Gender schema theory

Question 2

What does Kohlberg’s theory of gender say?

Answer 2

A child’s understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age and goes three stages. The transition from stage to stage is gradual and not sudden.

Question 3

What are the 3 stages of Kohlberg’s theory?

Answer 3

1. Gender identity
2. Gender stability
3. Gender constancy

Question 4

Explain what happens in gender identity

Answer 4

• Children begin to think about gender at approx. 2 years and are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy or a girl – this is gender identity.
• At 3, most children can respond to questions such as ‘Which one of these is like you?’ when shown a picture of a man or a woman

Question 5

However what are children unaware of in the gender identity stage?

Answer 5

They are not aware that biological sex is permanent
- Children believe that their sex can change – a girl may want to be a daddy when she grows up
—-> understanding of gender does not stretch beyond labelling

Question 6

What happens in stage 2 gender stability?

Answer 6

At age 4 children acquire gender stability - the realisation that their gender identity will remain consistent overtime.

Question 7

However what are children unable to do in gender stability?

Answer 7

Due to being egocentric they do not realise that this also applies to other people and get confused by external changes in appearance, for example describing a man with long hair as a woman, or believing people change sex if they do something stereotypically linked to the other gender e.g. male nurse.

Question 8

What happens in stage 3 gender constancy?

Answer 8

Approximately 6 years - the child recognises that gender is both stable over time and constant across different situations, both for themselves and other people e.g. understand a man with long hair in a dress is still male.
- children also begin to appreciate that other people have a different point of view from their own – they are less egocentric – they de-centre.

Question 9

What does Kohlberg say about gender constancy?

Answer 9

It is only at this stage that a child pays attention to gender-appropriate behaviour.
- Imitation of role models occurs here e.g. children begin seeking out gender-appropriate role models to identify with and imitate.
- For Kohlberg, once the child has a fully developed and internalised concept of gender at the constancy stage, they embark upon an active search for evidence which confirms that concept