Kohlberg's theory AO3

Question 1

Name a first AO3

Answer 1

P: there is research evidence that supports Kohlberg’s theory
E: Thompson 1975 found that two year olds were 76% correct in identifying their sex whereas three year olds were 90% correct.

Question 2

Name a second AO3 point

Answer 2

P: There is research evidence that again supports Kohlberg’s theory.
E:Ronald Slaby and Karin Frey in 1975 assessed gender stability they asked young children questions such as ‘when you grow up will you be a mummy or a daddy?’ The answers given showed that they did not recognise that these traits were stable over time.

P: Gender Constancy was also supported by Slaby and Frey
E: They asked could you be a boy/girl if you wanted to? They found that children who scored high on both stability and constancy showed the greatest interest in same-sex models

Question 3

Name a third AO3 point

Answer 3

P: There are age differences
E: Slaby and Frey 1975 found that gender constancy appeared at a younger age than Kohlberg had suggested as young as five
E: This is not a direct challenge to theory it suggests that changes are needed overtime at the time this was created children’s lives have become much different, for example, they are exposed to different types of gender information through the media and may develop gender constancy at a much earlier age.
L: Does this suggest temporal validity?

Question 4

Name a fourth evaluation point

Answer 4

P: There may be gender differences
E:Huston in 1985 said that it is much easier for girls to take on much more masculine activities but the same cannot be said about boys who generally resist for example dressing up as a girl. This could be explained in terms of the SLT the role models that boys identify with tend to be more powerful and power influences how one identifies with a role model therefore girls are less likely to identify with their role models.

Question 5

Name a fifth evaluation point

Answer 5

P: Research does not support Kohlberg’s claims that children do not begin to acquire information about gender appropriate behaviour until they reach gender constancy
E:Martin and Little in 1990 found that children under the age of four showed no signs of gender stability, let alone signs of constancy but did display strong gender stereotypes about what boys and girls were permitted to do