social learning explanation of gender development Flashcards
social learning theory suggest that learning occurs through experience and is learnt either
directly or indirectly
this process is facilitated by identified role models who may also be ‘ agents of socialisation ‘ eg parents
reinforcement increases the likelihood that the observed behaviours will be imitated whilst punishment decreases this likelihood
one method of direct learning which is specific to gender development is differential reinforcement
this is where
children are specifically rewarded by their parents or agent of socialisation , for displaying gender appropriate behaviours eg girls being calm and affectionate
- reinforcing gender stereotypes and contributes to the childs gender identity
learning can occur indirectly through vicarious reinforcement where in the context of gender development occurs
when a child sees another same sex child being rewarded for displaying gender appropriate behaviours who is considered to be a role model
the observer then imitates this modelled behaviour because they too want to achieve the same reward
this is followed by the four meditational processes
role models are often socially desirable they are
the same sex as the observer
seen to have higher social status
or desirable characteristics
ie popularity , wealth
a strength is that there is evidence supporting the idea that perceived gender appropriate behaviours are vicariously reinforced by agents of socialisation for example smith and Lloyd 1978 found that wgbe
4-6 month olds were dressed up as girls they were rewarded by adults for being pretty , calm and feminine
but when the same children were dressed up as boys the adults rewarded them for playing with hammers being aggressive and assertive
- this demonstrates the significant social influence that children experience from an early age which contributes to the formation of stereotypes and what is considered ‘ gender appropriate ‘ in that culture
a weakness is that in comparison with Freuds psychodynamic explanation of gender development would suggest there are significant differences . for example the hallmark of the psychodynamic approach is the emphasis on
unconscious internal conflicts between the different parts of the personality over which we have no control over
as opposed to the seemingly conscious meditational processes
- therefore through the idea of psychic determinism , individuals are said to have no control over the resolution of such conflicts and therefore no control over their own gender development , implying that unconscious forces are more important that social influences of others alongside the mechanisms of reinforcement
another weakness is that in comparison with the biological approach to explaining gender differences specifically the role of atypical sex chromosome patterns and hormones such as androgens , suggests that
SLT may suffer from an over reliance on social influences on gender development
- therefore it is now accepted that most researchers take a biosocial approach where they suggested innate biological differences can either be emphasised or even overridden through the mechanisms of SLT .
This means SLT and the biological approach are at polar ends of the nature versus nurture debate and that an interactionist approach would be more accepted and accurate explanation of gender development
