Social learning theory as an explanation of gender development

Question 1

What are the key assumptions of the SLT?

Answer 1

• The SLT emphasises that gender - related behaviour occurs through observation.
• The SLT emphasises the influence of the environment/nurture on childrens development

Question 2

What is direct reinforcement?

Answer 2

• Children are more likely to be reinforced when demonstrating behaviour that is sterotypically gender appropriate. For instance, boys are more likely to be encouraged to be assertive.
• This causes differential reinforcement as boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender - appropriate behaviour.

Question 3

What is indirect reinforcement?

Answer 3

• if the consequences of another persons behaviour is favourable, the behaviour is more likely to be imitated.
• For example, if a girl sees their mother being complimented when she has makeup on, she may want to repeat this

Question 4

What is identification?

Answer 4

• This refers to the process when a child attaches themselves to someone they want to be like (a role model)
• They often have qualities that are desirable.

Question 5

What is modelling?

Answer 5

• A precise demonstration of a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer. A mother may model stereotypically feminine behaviour when preparing dinner. This also applies to an observer as a little girl can model her mother by feeding a doll baby

Question 6

What are the mediational processes?

Answer 6

• Attention - noticing a behaviour and regarding it as important
• Retention - remembering a certain behaviour and creating a mental framework of it
• Motivation - the desire to repeat the behaviour
• Motor reproduction - Someones physically capability of doing it

Question 7

What is a strength of the SLT explanation

Answer 7

• One strength is that the key principles are supported by evidence.
• A study by Smith and Lloyd involved babies aged 4 - 6 months in which half were dressed in girls or boys clothes. When adults interacted with these babies, the babies assumed as boys were encouraged to be active and play with hammers
• girls were handed dolls and reinforced for being passive
• This shows that gender - appropriate behaviour is reinforced regularly

Question 8

What is a counterpoint of Smith and Llyod’s study?

Answer 8

• Differential reinforcement may not be the cause of gender differences and boys may be encouraged to be more active due to hormonal differences and not gender stereotypes

Question 9

What is another strength of SLT?

Answer 9

• The social learning theory can explain cultural changes. For example, in western societies there is less distinctions between stereotypically masculine and feminine behaviours, and there has been a shift in cultural norms meaning that new forms of gender behaviour are unlikely to be punished and may be reinforced
• This shows the SLT can explain changes in gender behaviour

Question 10

What is a limitation of the SLT?

Answer 10

• A limitation is that the SLT does not provide an adequate explantion of how learning processes develop with age
• The general assumption is that modelling can occur at any age however children aged 2 and 10 learn very differently.
• This contrasts and conflucts with kohlbergs theories that gender constancy and rigid stereotypes develop at age 6.
• This shows that the SLT is limited and neglects the influence of age and maturation