Test 3_development of sex differences and gender roles Flashcards
Three theories
Social Learning Theory
Cognitive Developmental Theory
Gender Schema Theory
Social Learning Theory
Gender Identity is based on Reinforcement. Punishment, and Imitation.
Social Learning Theory, Early influences
following the perceptions and expectations of adults.
Differential treatment by parents and other adults.
Child incorporates these differences into self and peer expectations.
Different behaviors are rewarded for boys and for girls
Social Learning Theory, early influences become
the selected pattern or preferences of the child
Social Learning Theory, behaviors lead to
concept of gender identity
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Development of Gender Identity involves
the development of a cognitive construct.
Cognitive Developmental Theory, The Construct precedes
the behavior (just the reverse of Social learning Theory)
Cognitive Developmental Theory, The development of Gender Constancy is key:
Involves three stages??
Stage 1: Gender Labeling (2-3 1/2)
Stage 2: Gender Stability (3 1/2 - 4 1/2)
Stage 3: Gender Consistency (4 1/2 - 7)
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 1: Gender Labeling
(2-3 1/2)
Self Identification (learn labels that apply to self and others; boy, girl, man, woman)
Physical features like hair length and clothing determine sex…
Sex is changeable:
If a boy is asked if he will be a mommy or daddy when he grows up, likely to say either.
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 1, what determines sex?
physical features like hair length and clothing
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 1, is sex changeable?
Yes
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 2,
Self Identification continues
Physical features like hair length and clothing still determine sex…
Sex is NOT changeable:
Understand that boys will be dads and girls will be moms.
Cognitive Developmental Theory, what determines sex?
physical features like hair length and clothing
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 2, is sex changeable?
No
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 3
Self Identification continues
Physical features: genitals, now determine sex…
Sex is NOT changeable.
This theory would predict that an child should not show sex role behavior prior to the development of gender consistency…
… but children DO exhibit sex role behavior prior to this time.
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 3, what determines sex?
genitals
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 3, is sex changable?
no
Cognitive Developmental Theory, Stage 3, limitation
children DO exhibit sex role behavior prior to this time.
Gender Schema Theory, combines aspects of
Social Learning theory and Cognitive Developmental Theory
Gender Schema Theory, general idea
reflects an Information Processing Approach
Early on… child respond to gender-typed preferences and behaviors as they begin to form gender schemes
Gender Schema Theory, when can you identify gender and what happens when they can?
As soon as they can label their gender (2-3 1/2), they select gender schemes that are consistent with it. Thus self-perceptions become gender-typed
Gender Schema Theory, are schemes easy to change?
Once these schemes form, very difficult to change them
Describe early gender role development
Largely because of progress in women’s rights, gender typing is no longer regarded as essential for healthy adjustment
gender stereotypes in children, pre school
begins
gender stereotypes in children, middle school
They are aware of stereotypes for activities, behaviors, occupations, achievement areas, and personalities
Awareness of gender stereotypes is _____ related to gender-role adoption
weakly
stereotype flexibility
is a good predictor of school-aged children’s willingness to cross gender lines
biological influences
males, dominance
women, intimacy, responsiveness, and cooperation
environmental influences, infancy
parents reinforce gender appropriate activities/behaviors
environmental influences, middles school
parents demand higher achievement of boys and hold gender stereotypes about children’s academic abilities, which influences career choices
sex differences in mental ability, girls
better at language development, reading and writing, counting, arithmetic computation, mastery of basic math concepts, and emotional understanding
sex differences in mental ability, boys
better at spacial skills and complex mathematical reasoning
Androgen
hormone contributes to greater physical aggression in males
girls greater emotional sensitivity is largely due to
gender-stereotyped expectations and child rearing practices
