Social Learning Theory (As Applied to Gender Development)

Question 1

Social Learning Theory
(As Applied to Gender Development)

Answer 1

• Acknowledges the role that the social context plays in development and states that all behaviour is learned from observing others.
• As such, SLT draws attention to the influence of the environment (nurture) in shaping gender development.
• This includes significant others that a child encounters (parents, peers and teachers) and the wider influence of culture and the media.

Question 2

Direct reinforcement

Answer 2

• Children are more likely to be reinforced (praised, encouraged) for demonstrating behaviour that is stereotypically gender appropriate.
• For instance, boys may be encouraged to be active, assertive and engage in rough and-tumble play.
• In contrast, girls are likely to be rewarded for being passive, gentle, and staying close to their parent.
• Those differences in boys and girls being encouraged to show distinct behaviour is called differentiated reinforcement.
• The way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour is called differential reinforcement.
• Direct reinforcement is what helps create a gender identity.
• A child is more likely to repeat a behaviour that has been reinforced (rewarded). This reinforcement may be direct or indirect.

Question 3

Indirect (vicarious) reinforcement

Answer 3

• If the consequences of another person’s behaviour are favourable, that behaviour is more likely to be imitated by a child.
• For instance, if a little girl sees her mother receive a compliment when she wears make-up and a pretty dress, the girl may try and repeat this behaviour when she is able.
• If the consequences of behaviour are seen to be unfavourable, i.e. punished, behaviour is less likely to be imitated.
• If a little boy sees another boy teased for displaying feminine behaviour, such behaviour is unlikely to be copied.

Question 4

Identification and modelling

Answer 4

• Identification refers to the process whereby a child attaches themself to a person who is seen to be ‘like me or to a person who ‘I want to be”.
• The person possesses qualities that the child sees as desirable. These people are known as role models and may be part of the child’s immediate environment or may be present within the media.
• Role models tend to be attractive, high status and are usually (and crucially for learning gender behaviours) the same gender as the child.
• From the role model’s perspective, modelling is the precise demonstration of a behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.
• A mother may model stereotypically feminine behaviour when tidying the house or preparing dinner.
• The same term is also used to explain learning from the observer’s perspective. When a little girl copies her mother setting the table or attempts to ‘feed’ her doll using a toy bottle, she is modelling the behaviour she has witnessed.

Question 5

Mediational processes

Answer 5

• Social learning theorists have also suggested four mediational (cognitive) processes that are central to the learning of gender behaviour:
• Attention - for instance, a little boy might want to emulate his favourite Premier League footballer by paying close attention to what the footballer does.
• Retention - remembering the skills the footballer showed on the pitch and trying to reproduce these in the playground later with friends.
• Motivation - the desire to repeat the behaviour comes from wanting to be like his hero (identification).
• Motor reproduction - the boy must be physically capable of doing it.

Question 6

Direct Tuition

Answer 6

• Learning through explicit instructions about appropriate gender behaviour.
• Direct tuition begins when children acquire linguistic skills.
• It serves as a convenient way of informing children about appropriate and inappropriate styles of conduct.

Question 7

Self-direction

Answer 7

• Bandura believed people also have the capacity to direct themselves, called reciprocal determinism.
• This means that once children have internalised gender-appropriate behaviours, their own behaviour is no longer dependent on external rewards or punishments.
• They then direct their own behaviour.