Social Learning Theory

• Gender is learned through observation, reinforced in social interaction


  • The role of social context
  • Gender behaviour is learnt through observation and reinforced through observation
  • The environment shapes gender development (peers, parents, media)
• Gender-appropriate behaviours are differentially reinforced


  • Gender-appropriate behaviour is reinforced
  • Boys - rewarded for being active and assertive, punished for being passive and gentle
  • Boys and girls are reinforced for different behaviours - creates distinct behaviours
• Vicarious reinforcement and punishment 


  • Observing and learning from others' interactions
  • Reinforcement - copying behaviour others are rewarded for
  • Punishment - avoiding behaviour others are punished/ostracised for
• Children identify with role models


  • Children identify with those 'like them' around them
  • Part of the child's immediate environment e.g. parents, teachers, siblings
  • Same sex as the child
• Modelling and imitation are evident


  • Behaviour is modelled and then imitated from same-sex parent
  • Parent displayed stereotypically gendered behaviour e.g. mother tidying or cooking
  • Child copies behaviour by 'modelling' it e.g. girl pretending to feed or tidy after dolls
• ARMM - Mediational processes


  • Cognitive factors that determine the production of an observed behaviour
  • Attention - seeing
  • Retention - remembering
  • Motivation - capability
  • Motor reproduction - desire