Social learning theory as applied to gender development AO3

Question 1

Name a first AO3 point:

Answer 1

Point:
- There is evidence to support modelling
Evidence:
-Perry and Bussey in 1979 showed film clips to children aged 8 to 9.
- in the film boys and girls were seen selecting an apple or a pear - gender neutral items
- later when given a choice of fruit, boys selected what they saw another boy selecting and the same for the girls
Explain:
- this shows that children model gender behaviours they have observed in gender-appropriate models

Question 2

Name a second AO3 point:

Answer 2

Point:
- Direct tuition may be more important than modelling

Evidence:
- Martin et al in 1995 found that preschool boys played with toys labelled as boys toys (a form of direct tuition because they were TOLD the toy was for boys)
- they did this even if they saw girls playing with
- However, they didn’t play with the toys labelled girls toys even when they saw boys playing with them (they did not model same sex behaviour when told it was a girl toy)
-

Question 3

Name a third AO3 point:

Answer 3

Point:
- One issue with SLT concerns the importance of peers in gender development

Evidence:
- Maccoby in 1998 took the view that peers are the prime socialising agency of gender development. However, they are unlikely to be important in early childhood when important aspects of gender development are taking place. Later on in childhood it is thought that peer behaviour does not create gender-role stereotypes but reinforces existing ones.
- for example, Lamb and Roopnarine in 1979 observed preschool children at play and found that when male-type behaviour was reinforced in girls, the behaviour continued for a shorter time than when male-type behaviour was reinforced in boys
E: suggests that peer reinforcement acts as a reminder

Question 4

Name a fourth AO3 point:

Answer 4

Point:
- There is supporting evidence of self-direction

Evidence:
- Bandura 1992, children aged three to four were shown videotapes of other children playing with masculine and feminine toys and asked to comment on the children in the video
- they were asked to comment on situations where children were playing with gender inconsistent toys and then were asked to rate how they would feel when displaying gender-consistent and inconsistent toys
- the younger children disapproved of others but did not disapprove of themselves whereas the older children disapproved of them both
- the self-regulations were confirmed with them actually playing with the toys
- this suggests that self-direction increases with age.

Question 5

Name a fifth evaluation point:

Answer 5

Point:
- SLT places too much emphasis on the role of social processes
Evidence:
-for example, cross cultural research indicates that biology plays an important role in gender development as there are some universals
- for example Magaret Meed’s 1935 study of Papa New Guinea
- Research by Buss in 1989 showed that what men and women desire in a partner is very similar worldwide (e.g men seek physical attractiveness and women seek resources)