AO3 - SLT Explanation of Gender

• Social Learning Theory does take into account cognition in the process of learning gender roles. There is an element of free will in the gender roles that are selected.
• Smith & Lloyd (1978) offer support for the Social Learning Theory (SLT). They suggest that gender appropriate behaviour is secured at an early age through differential reinforcement.
• Differential reinforcement is the way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender appropriate behaviours.
• Smith & Lloyd (1978) observed how people responded to babies dependent on what clothes they were wearing. If babies were dressed as girls, they were more likely to be told they were pretty and be handed a doll to play with.
• Like the psychodynamic explanation, the Social Learning Theory (SLT) makes reference to the importance of identification in gender development
• The Social Learning Theory (SLT) fails to account for biological influences on gender role behaviour.
• In some social observations boys are encouraged to be more active during play, but this may be a consequence of the fact that they are naturally more active due to hormonal differences. It may not be the result of differential reinforcement.
• The Social Learning Theory (SLT) can explain cultural changes in stereotypical gender appropriate behaviour. For example, it is acceptable today for children to display androgynous characteristics.
• The Social Learning Theory (SLT) has difficulty explaining how children's understanding of gender changes over time.
• It is believed that cognitive processes play a greater role in the learning of gender than the social learning theory allows. However, Bandura (1977) did account for this in his ARRM theory.
• Some aspects of gender role behaviour appear to be universal for all cultures, however these social norms are subject to change over time.
• Universal features of gender development often accommodate for innate influences in gender roles. For example, more females take on nurturing gender roles, which could be the result of biological influences.
• The Social Learning Theory (SLT) does not provide an adequate explanation of how learning processes change with age.