Rewards and punishments - behave in gender typical way - reinforced - more likely to happen again
Behave in a gender a-typical way - punished - less likely to happen again
Differential reinforcement - Boys get rewarded for masculine behaviours
girls rewarded for feminine behaviour
How does the social learning theory explain gender?
Modelling - Girl observes feminine behaviours
Vicarious reinforcement - girl observes older sister being rewarded for looking after a doll - reinforced for feminine behaviours
Identification - More likely to imitatebehaviours if they identify with the model - mum and daughter
What are the strengths?
Baby X studies - baby is dressed in boys or girls clothes - doesn't matter about gender - mothers rewarded "boys" with toy hammer and "girls" with a sift teddy - differential reinforcement
Gender changes over time - more a-typical gender influences - James Charles - distinction between men an women is less clear - growth of gender fluidity
What are the weaknesses ?
children are moreactive in acquiring gender - children tend to grow up moregendera-typical than their parents - not just about observation/ imitation
