AO1 - Gender Schema Theory

• Gender Schema Theory is a cognitive explanation of gender development and claims that a child's knowledge of their own gender will determine the type of behaviour they learn.
• Like Kohlberg’s theory, Gender Schema Theory shares the view the children develop their understanding of gender by actively structuring their own learning.
• Gender Schema Theory suggests that children play a more active role in their own gender development from an earlier age.
• Gender Schema Theory (Martin & Halverson, 1981) suggest that children begin to develop gender schema around the ages of 2-3 years old. As the child develops, they then assimilate new information into this schema, and continue as they experience more gender specific behaviour.
• According to Bem (1981) gender schema begins to develop around 2 years old when a child learns that the categories of male and female exist. As the child experiences more about gender the schema develops.
• Children develop in-group and out-group schemas based on gender. Their own perception is based on what they understand to be appropriate for their gender and they then categorise others as like them (in-group) or not (out-group).
• As children develop gender schemas, they learn to make associations between what is male and what is female, and will categorise objects, toys and activities based on what they think is gender appropriate.
• A gender schema is a generalised representation of everything we know in relation to gender and stereotypically gender appropriate behaviour.
• A gender schema contains ideas about what is appropriate behaviour for males and females and this can influence children's behaviour.
• A schema is a mental representation learned through experience which is stored in memory.
• Young children will often have schemas for boys and different schemas for girls.
• A schema is a template of information which is stored in memory about a particular object or situation.
• A gender schema is information that is stored in memory about what it means to be male or female.
• Gender Schema Theory suggests that children acquire an understanding of gender development through experience with the world around them.
• Gender Schema Theory claims that once gender identity is gained, the child is motivated to seek gender specific toys and same-sex peers.
• According to Martin & Halverson (1981) once a child has established gender identity around the age of 2-3 years, they begin to search the environment for information that encourages the development of gender schema.
• The idea proposed by Martin & Halverson (1981) contrasts with Kohlberg’s view that the process of understanding gender development only begins after children have progressed through all three stages.
• In Gender Schema Theory children around the age of 2-3 years develop schemas for physical differences between the sexes, which leads the child to developing gender specific characteristics and a gender awareness.
• At the start of Gender Schema Theory, young children develop an understanding of the categories of male and female and subsequently develop strong gender stereotypes associated with these categories.
• In Gender Schema Theory as children grow, knowledge and understanding of gender schema comes from watching the behaviour and attitudes of others.
• In Gender Schema Theory, as children learn the more subtle differences between males and females they tend to focus mainly on their own gender.
• At around 5 years old, gender roles become more rigid and the child will identify activities and objects associated with their own gender and tend to ignore those that do not fit this schema.
• According to Gender Schema Theory in-group and out-group schemas become strengthened as children's knowledge and expectations of gender develops.
• By the age of 7 years a child's view of what is gender appropriate behaviour is more flexible, and children will pay more attention to same-sex role models. This is an important part establishing a self-identity.
• According to Gender Schema Theory by adolescence the rules associated with gender schema are more flexible and gender appropriate behaviour can be overridden by personal preferences.