social learning theory

Question 1

AO1 for social learning theory of gender

Answer 1

• children observe adults of the same gender as a role models and imitate their behaviour e.g. daughter observes mother being nurturing
• encouraged by vicarious reinforcement - give example
• mediational processes - attention, retention, motivation and reproduction
• medias impact

Question 2

research support for social learning theory + counterpoint (strength evaluation)

Answer 2

Fagot 1995 found that four year olds from traditional families where father was main breadwinner and mother stayed at home showed more gender stereotypes and were more likely to use gender labels than in families who shared childcare responsibilities = supports that children observe and internalise behaviour they see in role models
C=findings may not apply equally to children of all ages, Urberg found rigid stereotypes decrease as children grow older = significance of gender role models decreases with age

Question 3

a strength of SLT in explaining gender

Answer 3

• can explain cultural changes in stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour - less of a clear-cut distinction between what people regard as masculine and feminine like in e.g. 1950’s - the shift in social expectations and cultural norms over the years has meant new forms of genders are unlikely to be punished = credible
• Bandura found children were more likely to imitate same sex role models

Question 4

limitation of SLT in explaining gender

Answer 4

doesnt provide an adequate explanation of how learning processes change with age, general implication is that modelling of gender-appropriate behaviour can occur at any age, however its illogical that 2 year olds learn the same as 9 year olds - Kohlberg would argue differently = influence of age and maturation on learning gender concepts isnt considered by SLT

Question 5

influence of media on gender development

Answer 5

• media provides children with the opportunity to identify with role models and internalise their gender specific behaviour as SLT argues we are much more likely to view same sex people are rolemodels so we imitate
• media often presents rigid stereotypes with the representation of men as independant and women as dependant
• results in each gender identifying with same sex characters and imitating their gender stereotypical behaviours

Question 6

research support of medias influence on gender (strength evaluation)

Answer 6

Williams et al 1986 - used a natural experiment to monitor the natural introduction of TV in a town that previously had no TV called NOTEL - used 2 other towns UNITEL (1 channel) and MULTITEL (multiple TV channels) for comparison - monitored gender typical behaviour before and after - found the inhabitants of NOTEL showed far more gender typical behaviours after introduction of TV = media impacts gender behaviour

Question 7

medias influence on gender behaviour limitation

Answer 7

evidence suggests media can also have positive impacts on gender stereotypes - may challenge stereotypes e.g. disney (brave and moana) - Pingree found gender stereotyping was reduced amongst school age children where they were shown tv adverts featuring women in non-stereotypical roles = media is starting to become more diverse and can be positive

Question 8

medias influence on gender strength

Answer 8

cultivation theory - research into media has theoretical basis - more time individuals spent living in the media world the more likely they are to believe it reflects social reality - Bond and Drogos found a correlation between time spent watching series Jersey Shore and permissive attitudes towards casual sex = media cultivates perception of reality and this affects gender behaviour