Other Explanations Of Gender Development: SLT

Question 1

What does SLT acknowledge?

Answer 1

That the social context plays in development and states all behaviour is learnt from observing others.

Question 2

What does SLT draw attention to?

Answer 2

The influence of the environment in shaping gender development.

Question 3

Direct reinforcement

Answer 3

Children are more likely to be reinforced for demonstrating behaviour that is gender appropriate.

Question 4

What is differential reinforcement?

Answer 4

The way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour.

Question 5

How does a child learn their gender identity?

Answer 5

Through differential reinforcement

Question 6

Vicarious reinforcement

Answer 6

If the consequences of another person’s behaviour are favourable the behaviour is more likely to be imitated by a child.

Question 7

What happens if the consequence of a behaviour is seen as unfavourable?

Answer 7

Behaviour is less likely to be imitated.

Question 8

Identification

Answer 8

The process whereby a child attaches themself to a person who is seen to be ‘like me’ or a person who ‘I want to be. - the person possesses qualities the child sees as desirable (role models).

Question 9

What might role models be apart of?

Answer 9

The child’s immediate environment or present within media.

Question 10

what do role models tend to be?

Answer 10

Attractive, high status and usually the same sex as the child.

Question 11

What is modelling from the role models perspective?

Answer 11

The precise demonstration of a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.

Question 12

What term is used to explain learning from the observers behaviour?

Answer 12

Modelling

Question 13

What are the 4 meditational processes SLT believes are central to the learning of gender behaviour?

Answer 13

• Attention
• Retention
• Motivation
• Motor reproduction

Question 14

Key principles are supported by evidence.

Answer 14

• A study by Smith and Lloyd involved babies aged 4-6 months who were dressed half the time in boy’s clothes and the other half in girl’s clothes.
• When observed interacting with adults babies assumed to be a ‘boy’ were more likely to be given a hammer shaped rattle and encouraged to be adventurous and active.
• When dressed as girls they were more likely to be handed a doll, told they were ‘pretty’ and reinforced to be passive.
• Suggests gender appropriate behaviour is stamped in at an early age through differential reinforcement supporting SLT.

Question 15

Differential reinforcement may not be the cause of gender differences in behaviour.

Answer 15

• Adults during interactions with their own children may simply be responding to innate gender differences that are already there.
• Suggests that it is likely SLT is only part of the explanation of how children acquire gender-related behaviours.

Question 16

Social learning can explain cultural changes in gender-appropriate behaviour.

Answer 16

• There has been no corresponding change in people’s basic biology within the same period, such as shift is much better explained by SLT than the biological approach.
• The shift in social expectations and cultural norms over the years has meant new forms of gender behaviour are now unlikely to be punished and may be reinforced.
• Shows SLT is one approach that can explain cultural changes in behaviour.

Question 17

SLT doesn’t provide an adequate explanation of how learning processes change with age.

Answer 17

• Modelling of gender-appropriate behaviour can occur at any age.
• However it seems illogical that children who are 2 learn in the same way as children who are 9.
• This conflicts with e.g. Kohlberg’s theory that children don’t become active in their gender development until they reach gender constancy.
• Suggests influence of age and maturation on learning gender concepts isn’t a factor considered by SLT.