A01

• Martin and Halverson’s Gender schema theory (GST), like Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental theory, explains that children's understanding of gender evolves with age. Both theories emphasise that children actively structure their learning about gender rather than passively imitating role models.
• A schema, a mental construct used to organise knowledge, develops through experience. A gender schema is a generalised representation of what is known about gender and gender-appropriate behaviour. Children begin forming gender schemas around ages 2-3, seeking information from their environment to develop these schemas. This is earlier than Kohlberg's theory (around age 7 with gender constancy).
• Gender schemas in young children are typically based on stereotypes, such as boys playing with trucks and girls with dolls. By age 6, children have rigid and stereotypical ideas about gender-appropriate behaviour, often misremembering or ignoring information that contradicts their schemas. Children have a better understanding of schemas related to their own gender (ingroup) and pay more attention to this information, which enhances their self-esteem. It is only around age 8 that children develop more elaborate schemas for both genders.