KOHLBERG'S

• WHAT TYPE OF EXPLANATION IS KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF GENDER DEVELOPMENT?

  cognitive
• STAGES OF KOHLBERG'S THEORY?

  1. Gender identity
  2. Gender stability
  3. Gender constancy
• WHAT DOES KOHLBERG'S THEORY STATE?

  gender development occurs through three stages of maturation
• AGE OF GENDER IDENTITY STAGE?

  2 to 3
• AGE OF GENDER STABILITY STAGE?

  4 to 5
• AGE OF GENDER CONSTANCY STAGE?

  6 to 7
• GENDER IDENTITY STAGE?

  knowing what gender you and others are
• GENDER STABILITY STAGE?

  • recognise gender does not change over time
  • do not understand gender is consistent in all situations (confused by non-normative behaviour)
• GENDER CONSTANCY STAGE?

  • understand gender is consistent across all situations
  • not confused by non-normative appearance/ roles
• WHAT HAPPENS AFTER GENDER CONSTANCY STAGE?

  • recognise behaviours associated with genders
  • identify with adults with relevant qualities
  • form an idea of 'gender appropriate' behaviour
• EVALUATION POINTS OF KOHLBERG'S THEORY OF DEVELOPMENT?

  + empirical research support

  -fails to consider role of biology

  -fails to explain
• EMPIRICAL RESEARCH SUPPORT?

  supports ages and stages

  • Slaby and Frey
  • children under 3 identify own current gender but not future gender
  • no gender stability
  • credible explanation

  supports constancy being fundamental for identification

  • Slaby and Frey
  • children that answered constancy questions correctly paid more attention to same-sex role model in video
  • credible explanation
• FAILS TO CONSIDER ROLE OF BIOLOGY?

  • if gender development connected to cognition
  • expected to change over time (as thinking changes)
  • possibly more biological basis
  • e.g. testosterone (evidenced by Quadango)
  • underestimates role of hormones
• FAILS TO EXPLAIN?

  • suffers from beta bias
  • underestimates differences between genders
  • Bandura
  • easier for girls to take on masculine behaviours
  • less likely to be punished
  • does not include relevant social learning theory principles