Social learning theory as applied to gender development

• Outline the social learning theory as applied to gender development.


  The social learning theory proposes that gender development occurs in a social context through observation and imitation. It also proposes how factors such as identification, mediational processes (attention, retention, reproduction and motivation) and vicarious reinforcement are involved.
• Outline the social learning theory as applied to gender development.

  Firstly, the child must pay attention to the gender behaviour being displayed by a same-sex role mode (e.g. a boy watching his father play football).

  This is likely given the child will identify with that same-sex role model i.e. they will view themselves as similar due to being of the same gender.
•  Outline the social learning theory as applied to gender development.

  They then must retain their gender behaviour in their memory so that they can imitate it at a later time.

  However, the child will only imitate the gender behaviour if they think they can physically reproduce it.

  Similarly, the child is more likely to imitate gender behaviour if they observe the same-sex role model being rewarded.
• Evaluate the social learning theory as applied to gender development: supporting evidence.


  Researchers compared children raised in ‘traditional’ families (where dad went to work and mum cared for children) with children raised in ‘alternative’ families (such as those where mum and dad shared child care). They found that children from ‘traditional’ families displayed more gender stereotypical behaviours and attitudes than children from ‘alternative’ families. This is a strength because it suggests that parents act as gender role models which their children then observe and imitate.
• Evaluate the social learning theory as applied to gender development: supporting evidence. 


  E.g. research has found that gender attitudes and behaviours have changed across time. This is a strength because this can be explained by the social learning theory in that gender norms have changed over time and so children are now observing and imitating different gender roles. In contrast, a biological explanation for gender development would not be able to explain such a change as there has been no changes in our chromosomes, hormones etc.
• Evaluate the social learning theory as applied to gender development: cannot explain why a child’s understanding of gender changes with age. 


  E.g. as boys and girls age, they begin to show less rigid gender attitudes and behaviours despite living in the same environment i.e. observing and imitating the same things. This is a limitation because this can be better explained by cognitive theories e.g. Kohlberg proposes that the brain biologically matures with age and so children can develop more complex ways of thinking about gender, regardless of what they are observing.
• Evaluate the social learning theory as applied to gender development: case study of David Reimer.


  This is because it found that despite trying to raise David as a girl (where he should have identified with female role models and imitated their feminine attitudes and behaviour), he was never happy as a girl and later resumed his masculine identity. This is a limitation because if gender is learned within a social context, he should have been able to be socialised into being a girl.