PSYA3 Gender: Cognitive Development Theory

Mrs Jan

The cognitive approach...

• …& also recognises that a person’s gender role is the result of their gender identity…

...is all about the thinking behind gender development...

Gender: Cognitive DevelopmentTo Start: The Cognitive Approach

Schema

Mental Processes

Perception

Thinking

Thought Patterns

The cognitive approach to gender considers the development of our thought patterns and cognitions.

A child’s perception of gender behaviour (including their own gender) is crucial for their acquisition of gender.

There are a series of developmental steps or stages that a child goes through before their perception of gender is fully developed.

Kohlberg (1966) Gender Constancy Theory

Gender: Cognitive Development

Children cannot distinguish between appearance and reality. Kohlberg argued that changes in gender thinking come about because of the natural stages of a child’s cognitive development. He proposed a set of gradual stages:

1) Gender Labelling / Identity

2 - 3.5 yearsLabel gender but only based on appearance.

2) Gender Stability 3.5 - 4.5 years

Gender is consistent over time but cant generalise this to

others. Appearance is still a factor

3) Gender Constancy/Consistency 6 years

Gender is constant across time and

situations. Gender appropriate behaviour.

Task: The Ken Experiment

Gender: Cognitive Development 5 minutes

With the person next to you, discuss how a child at each of the following ages would answer the question ‘Is this a boy doll or a girl doll?’ for each phase of the experiment.

1) 2 years old

2) 4 years old

3) 6 years old

Phase A

Phase B

Phase C

The Ken Experiment

Gender: Cognitive Development

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZb2len6f18

This is how the children responded….

Task: Kohlberg Storyboards

Gender: Cognitive Development 15 minutes

Alison is 2 years old. She knows she is a girl and she likes dressing up in fairy outfits. She likes wearing dresses and is able to identify a boy by his short hair.

By the age of 4 she realises that when she grows up she’ll be a lady. ‘When I grow up, I’ll be like my Mummy!’ she says!

At age 6, Alison makes a friend called Billy. Billy likes to play with dolls with Alison. Even though Billy likes dolls, Alison knows that Billy is still and will always be a boy.

Gender Identity… (AO1) Children begin to think about

gender at approx. 2 years. Children believe that their sex

can change – a girl may want to be a daddy when she grows up.

At this age children believe that changing clothes can change a person’s sex i.e. a boy in a dress becomes a girl!

Children may show a preference for playing with children or their own sex – this is only because they see themselves as belonging to that particular group.

Gender Stability… (AO1) At the age of 4 (approx)

children begin to realise that their sex will not change over time and that they will remain the sex they are.

Due to the fact that they are egocentric they do not realise that this also applies to other people

A woman doing a man’s job would be labelled ‘a man’.

Gender Constancy (AO1)

At approximately 5 years: children begin to appreciate that other people have a different point of view from their own – they are less egocentric – they de-centre.

They realise that everyone’s gender is constant & that changes in outward appearances do not influence whether someone is male or female – this is known as conservation.

They understand that a persons sex is the same across time and different situations.

Kohlberg believed that it was at this time that children actively seek out role models to imitate to help them develop their sense of gender.

A development: Gender Schema Theory

This theory agrees with Kohlberg in that children actively seek gender-related role models; BUT they believe that it happens earlier, around 2 or 3 years old.

A schema is a model in ones minds that helps make sense of the world i.e. children form stereotypes of the ways that they think males and females behave.

They go on to develop scripts of activities and/or actions that males and females perform (women make the dinner, men fix cars).

Children monitor their environment for information and behaviours that are consistent with their ideas of appropriate male and female behaviour and add assimilate this information into their thinking.

If a behaviour is considered inconsistent they may just ignore it so that their stereotypes or schemas don’t need to be altered – they need to be able to predict behaviour and stereotypes allow them to do this.

PSYA3 Gender: Cognitive Development Theory

Mrs Jan

What is a Schema?

Gender: Cognitive Development

Organised clusters of information.

A mental blue print of information. E.g. When we say picnic, what do we think of? What is expected?

A cognitive framework which helps us to organise and interpret information. They focus on things which help us to confirm our pre-existing ideas or beliefs and often contribute to stereotypes.

So, what gender schemas exist..?

Gender Schema Theory Martin and Halverson (1981)

Gender: Cognitive Development

Gender is acquired by gathering information about our own gender. But this happens before Gender Constancy.

Being able to identify oneself as a girl or boy is enough for us to get involved in gender-appropriate behaviours.

Schemas

Gender: Cognitive Development 5 Minutes

Children learn gender schemas from their interactions with other children and adults.

They learn what toys are appropriate to each gender.

They have theories about appropriate behaviour for men and women.

Ingroup and Outgroup Schemas

Gender: Cognitive Development 5 Minutes

Ingroup: Groups we identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl you identify with girls.

Outgroup: Groups that we don’t identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl you don’t identify with boys.

Once a child has identified with a group, this leads them to positively evaluate their own group. This leads them to be like their own group and avoid behaviours of the outgroup. They focus on ingroup schemas before gender constancy.

Gender Schema Theory Synoptic A02

Gender: Cognitive Development

Are stereotypical gender schema’s still valid? Are schema’s generational? Why?

Do people always follow their schemas? Are schemas reliable in predicting behaviour?

Gender schema theory emphasises how schemas develop but not where they originate; cognitive aspects tend to overlook the impact of parents, friends, school and the media on the development of gender schemas.

Does it explain why children are frequently highly sexist despite the best efforts of parents. Children do insist on playing with Barbie dolls and toy guns.