Cognitive explanations- Kohlberg’s theory

• Kohlberg’s theory of development


  Kohlberg’s cognitive-behavioural theory of gender is based on the idea that a child’s understanding of gender including gender appropriate behaviours becomes more sophisticated with age.

  • The understanding of gender runs parallel to intellectual development.
• What was Kohlberg’s theory influenced by?

  • Influenced by the work of Piaget.
  • Piaget believed that all children are egocentric until the age of about 6 or 7.
• Egocentrism

  • They assume everyone can see the world in the same way that they do.
• What happens when a child decentre’s?


  The children begin to appreciate that other people’s views and feelings may not always match their own.
• Piaget’s concept of conservation

  • Understanding that the properties of an object remain the same even when the appearance changes.
  • Children acquire the ability to conserve at the age of 6-7 years old.
• Stage 1- gender identity

  • 2 years old
  • Children can identify themselves as a boy or girl
  • At 3 years old, most children can identify others as male and female.
  • Understanding of gender does not stretch beyond simple labelling.
  • Do not view gender as fixed
• Stage 2- Gender stability

  • 4 years old, children acquire gender stability (the realisation that their own gender stays the same)
  • Children are still confused by external changes in appearance. E.g they may describe a male with long hair a female.
  • Believe that other people can change gender, if they engage in activities that more often associated with the opposite sex e.g a female builder
• Stage 3- gender constancy

  • 6 years of age
  • Children recognise gender remains constant across time and situation.
  • Applied to other people as well as themselves
  • no longer fooled by changes in outward appearance.
  • Start to seek out gender appropriate role models to identify with and imitate.
  • A tendency towards gender stereotyping begins to emerge at this age.
• Example of egocentrism

  Before the age of 6/7 a child believes that what they see/think is the same as everything as everyone else. Therefore, when they believe that a man dressed as a woman is a woman (gender stability stage), they believe that everyone else will think that too.
• Example of conservation

  • In the gender stability stage, children get confused by external changes in appearance.
  • When they reach the gender constancy stage, they realise that even though appearance changed, the gender remains constant.
• ‘I am a girl because I have long hair’

  Gender identity
• ‘This is a woman even though she is a builder’

  Gender constancy
• ‘My dad is a girl because he wore a fancy dress’

  Gender stability
• ‘This is a girl even though she has short hair’

  Gender constancy
• ‘That must be a girl playing with dolls’

  Gender identity
• Research support for Kohlberg’s theory of development

  • Evidence suggesting gender stereotyping occurs at 6years of age (gender constancy)
  • Damon, told children a story about George a boy who liked to play with dolls.
  • Results found, 4 year olds said it was fine for George to do this, whereas 6 year olds thought it was wrong.
  • This suggests that children who have achieved gender constancy have formed gender stereotypes.
• Methodological issues

  • The test for gender constancy is if a child understands that gender remains the same even though appearance changes. Bem argued it is not surprising that children are confused as clothes, hair, etc is how we decide if a person is male or female. In reality the best way to differentiate is by genitalia.
  • Bem showed that 40% of 3-5 year olds could show constancy if they were shown a naked photo of the child to be identified first, showing that they based their judgements on more than just clothing.
• Why is different degrees of constancy a limitation?

  • Martin et al, argues that child’s understanding of their own and others gender, and how this affects gender-related behaviour is unclear.
  • An initial degree of constancy may develop when choosing friends and seeking information before the age of 6. A second degree may emerge later which focuses on more complex behaviours and thoughts about gender e.g choosing clothes.
  • This suggests that the acquisition of constancy may be more gradual than Kohlberg’s suggested, beginning earlier than age of 6.
• How does Kohlberg’s stages support a nature approach?

  • Maturation increases gender development.
  • Munroe et al found that cross-cultural studies show that cognitive changes are universal and therefore biological.
  • This is because if intellectual changes follow a similar pattern in children around the world we can assume the changes have a biological basis.
  • Therefore this increases the reliability of Kohlberg’s theory of gender development taking a nature stance.
• Contradictory evidence- Nurture

  • Bussey and Bandura claim that social processes of observation, imitation and identification with role models play a much more influential role in gender development than cognitive structures.
  • This suggests that it is likely that the development of gender-related concepts in the maturing child involves an interaction of nature and nurture.
• What is meant by gender stability?

  • Gender stability is the realisation that a person’s own sex remains the same.
• What is meant by gender constancy?

  • The realisation that a persons gender remains stable not only over time but in different situations and despite superficial changes in appearance.