Social Learning

Question 1

How is social learning theory regarded generally?

Answer 1

• acknowledges role social context plays in development all behaviour (including gender) is learned from others
• nurture argument

Question 2

How is direct reinforcement related to gender development?

Answer 2

• children are more likely to be reinforced for gender appropriate behaviour
• the way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender appropriate behaviour is called differential reinforcement through which a child learns their gender identity
• child is more likely to repeat reinforced behaviour (indirect or direct)

Question 3

How is indirect (vicarious reinforcement) linked to gender development?

Answer 3

• consequences of another persons behaviour are favourable child will replicate behaviour
• if behaviour is punished they will not imitate it

Question 4

How is identification and modelling related to gender development?

Answer 4

• Child attaches themself to a persons who is like them or who they want to be like ‘role models may be present in child’s life or through media
• tend to be attractive, high status and are the same gender
• modelling is the process of demonstrating a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer, mother may model stereotypically feminine behaviour

Question 5

How do mediational processes relate to gender development?

Answer 5

• Attention: boy may emulate fav footballer by paying close attention to what footballer does
• Retention: remembering skills footballer performs and wanting to to reproduce them
• Motivation: desire to repeat the behaviour and wanting to be like hero (identification)
• Motor reproduction: ability to do it

Question 6

What research supports this theory?

Answer 6

• Smith and Lloyd babies 4-6 months who irrespective of sex were dressed half boy clothes and half time in girls clothes
• adults were more likely to hand girl dressed babies a cuddly toy and told they were pretty and boy babies given hammer shaped rattle and encouraged to be adventurous

Question 7

How are cultural changes relevant to this theory as a strength?

Answer 7

• the shift in social expectations and cultural norms over the years has meant new forms of gender behaviour are likely to be punished/reinforced
• can explain cultural changes in gender

Question 8

how is having no developmental sequence a disadvantage of social learning theory?

Answer 8

• modelling gendered behaviour can occur at any age, however it seems illogical to suggest children two years old learn in the same way as 9 year olds, conflicts with Kohlberg’s theory