Social Explanation

Question 1

What is the main principle of parental influence?

Answer 1

Operant conditioning

Question 2

How does operant conditioning influence gender behaviour in children?

Answer 2

Parents often have fixed views on how their little boy or girl should behave (appropriate behaviour for males and females). The expected behaviour is then positively reinforced.

Question 3

What increases the likelihood of a child behaving in a certain way?

Answer 3

Positive reinforcement

Question 4

What decreases the likelihood of a child behaving in a certain way?

Answer 4

If they are punished for the behaviour.

Question 5

How do children learn what behaviour is appropriate for them?

Answer 5

Behaviours are either positively reinforced or punished

Question 6

What is an example of positive reinforcement?

Answer 6

Praise, smiling, rewards, encouragement.

Question 7

What behaviours might be encouraged in boys?

Answer 7

Risk taking behaviour such as climbing trees

Question 8

What kinds of behaviours might be encouraged in girls?

Answer 8

Playing quietly, dancing

Question 9

What studies are associated with the social approach?

Answer 9

Smith and Lloyd
Dr Alison Roberts
Williams

Question 10

What studies are associated with the influence of parents?

Answer 10

Dr Alison Roberts

Smith and Lloyd

Question 11

What were Smith and Lloyds findings?

Answer 11

Adults played with a 3 month old baby dressed in gender neutral clothes and they were give a male or female name. Typically, boys were played with more physically e.g bouncing or jiggling and they toys given were often stereotyped.

Question 12

What do Smith and Lloyds findings suggest?

Answer 12

That adults already have predetermined ideas of how children of different genders should behave and be treated.

Question 13

What were Dr Alison Roberts findings?

Answer 13

Mothers of boys estimated their little boy could crawl down a steeper slope that the mothers of the little girls who’s child was roughly the same height and weight.

Question 14

Why is Dr Alison Roberts study good?

Answer 14

The dependant variable provides and objective measurement (height of the slope) which is good as it gives a precise result which is easy to compare.

Question 15

What are the two social explanations of gender development?

Answer 15

Parental influence

Influence of the media

Question 16

How gender development is influenced by the media?

Answer 16

Through social learning theory

Question 17

Explain the social learning theory…

Answer 17

That we acquire new behaviour through observing and imitating others behaviour.

Question 18

What impacts how accurately the behaviour is modelled?

Answer 18

The status and gender of the model. The confidence of the learner and if the model has been rewarded for the behaviour.

Question 19

How does the media usually portray males?

Answer 19

As independent and focused

Question 20

How does the media usually portray women?

Answer 20

Dependant and emotional

Question 21

How does the media influence children’s ideas of gender behaviour?

Answer 21

The greater exporter they have to these media role models means they are more likely to displays these stereotyped attitudes.

Question 22

What were William’s findings?

Answer 22

Previously, children in Notel which received no tv signal and Unitel which received one channel had weaker gender stereotypes of children than children in Multitel which had lots of channels. Once tv was introduced, they found theirs views had become more gender stereotyped.

Question 23

What commentary is associated with media influence?

Answer 23

Disney

Question 24

Explain Disney commentary…

Answer 24

Gender stereotypes and overarching in disney films. Women always have a hero, they are pretty and dependent on men. Whereas men are handsome, strong and are successful. Only recently have these stereotypes started to be broken down with films such as frozen and brave.

Question 25

What debates are associated with media influence?

Answer 25

Socially sensitive

Question 26

Explain socially sensitive debate…

Answer 26

Disney may limit young girls and boys aspirations and dreams as they may come to believe that all you need is love and money.

Question 27

Explain the nature nurture debate…

Answer 27

This suggests it is nurture as it claims social factors affect gender stereotypes and development. It doesn’t mention nature which is evidently a contributing factor.