Kohlberg's Gender Theory

• Stage 1: Gender identity


  • Age 2-3
  • Children are able to correctly identify themselves as a boy or a girl through "which one is like you?" pictures
  • Children might associate some behaviours or attributes with gender/sex
  • Children have no stable concept of the permanence of gender
• Stage 2: Gender stability


  • Age 3-4
  • Children realise that they stay the same gender over time
  • However, they find it difficult to apply this to other people e.g. believing that their dad is a woman for putting on a dress
  • And other situations e.g. thinking that people change sex when engaging in gendered activities of the opposite sex
• Stage 3: Gender constancy


  • Age 5+
  • Children recognise that gender remains constant across time and situation, and can apply this to others
  • May be amused by someone with the external appearance of the other sex, but understand that they are still the same sex
  • Children begin to seek out gender-appropriate role models to identify with
  • Once the child has internalised gender, they look for evidence to confirm it and gender stereotyping begins
• Context

  • Cognitive-developmental approach:
  • Cognitive - thinking about gender
  • Developmental - changes in thinking over time
  • Gender development parallels intellectual development; Piaget - conservation, egocentrism, maturation changes and approximate ages