Other Explanations Of Gender Development: SLT Flashcards
What does SLT acknowledge?
That the social context plays in development and states all behaviour is learnt from observing others.
What does SLT draw attention to?
The influence of the environment in shaping gender development.
Direct reinforcement
Children are more likely to be reinforced for demonstrating behaviour that is gender appropriate.
What is differential reinforcement?
The way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour.
How does a child learn their gender identity?
Through differential reinforcement
Vicarious reinforcement
If the consequences of another person’s behaviour are favourable the behaviour is more likely to be imitated by a child.
What happens if the consequence of a behaviour is seen as unfavourable?
Behaviour is less likely to be imitated.
Identification
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).
What might role models be apart of?
The child’s immediate environment or present within media.
what do role models tend to be?
Attractive, high status and usually the same sex as the child.
What is modelling from the role models perspective?
The precise demonstration of a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.
What term is used to explain learning from the observers behaviour?
Modelling
What are the 4 meditational processes SLT believes are central to the learning of gender behaviour?
- Attention
- Retention
- Motivation
- Motor reproduction
Evaluation: Key principles have research support
Smith and Lloyd did a study which dressed babies aged 4-6 months half the time in boys clothes and half the time in girls clothes to see what type of toy the adult would give them based on their gender. Babies summed to be boys were given a hammer shaped rattle whereas babies assumed to be girls were given dolls which suggests gender appropriate behaviour is learnt at an early age through differential reinforcement which purports SLT.
Evaluation: Explains changing gender roles in Western society
In Western society there is less distinction between stereotypical masculine and feminine behaviour which is explained by a shift in social expectations and cultural norms rather than the biological approach because peoples basic biology has not changed and rather thought processes have changed instead.
Evaluation: SLT doesn’t explain how learning processes change with age
SLT suggests some age limitations such as motor reproduction suggests children who aren’t physically and intellectually capable yet may struggle to preform a behaviour. Therefore SLT isn’t a full explanation as it does not consider the influence of age and maturation.
