Gender Schema theory

• Schema


  A cognitive framework which we develop through experience that helps us to organise and interpret information
• Gender schema


  A gender schema is a organised set of beliefs and expectations of how males and females should behave Which is derived from experience.
• Where do gender schemas comes from?

  Parents, society, teachers, peers, culture
• Example of gender schema

  Men have short hair, women wear skirts
• Who introduced gender schema theory?

  Martin and Halverson
• Assumptions of Martin and Halverson

  • A cognitive-developmental theory which argues that children’s understanding of gender changes with age.
  • Children develop their understanding of gender by actively structuring their own learning, rather than passively observing and imitating role models.
• How do Martin and Halverson explain development?

  • Martin and Halverson argued once a child has established gender identity at the age of 2-3 years, he or she will begin to search the environmental for information that Encourages the development of a gender schema.
• How does Martin and Halverson’s explanation differ to Kohlberg’s?

  • Martin and Halverson argued that once a child has established gender identity at the age of 2-3 years, he or she will begin to search the environmental for information that encourages the development of a gender schema.
  • This differs from Kohlberg’s view that this process only begins after they have progressed through all 3 stages around the age of 7 with gender constancy.
• What do young children use their schemas for?

  To form stereotypes.

  E.g girls play with dolls and boys play with cars.

  • These stereotypes provide a framework that directs experience and understanding of self.
  • By 6 years old a child has a fixed stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender.
  • It is because of this reason that children are likely to disregard information that does not fit with their existing schema.
• Ingroup

  People who are the same biological sex
• Outgroup

  People of the opposite biological sex
• Does a child pay attention to other peoples schemas?

  • Children have a much better understanding of the schemas that are appropriate for their own gender.
  • This is consistent with the idea that children’s understanding pay more attention to information relevant to their gender identity rather than that of the opposite sex.
  • Not until children are older (8years) so they develop elaborate schemas for both genders, rather than just their own.
• How does ingroup identity benefit the child?

  Serves to strengthen the child’s self-esteem.
• Research support for Gender schema theory

  • Martin and Halverson’s study found that children under the age of 6 were more likely to remember photographs of stereotypically gender-appropriate behaviour (such as women washing dishes) than photographs of gender-inappropriate behaviour (such as a women cleaning a car) when tested a week later.
  • Children tended to change the gender of the person carrying out the gender-inappropriate behaviour when asked to recall, to make it more appropriate.
  • Suggesting children under 6 can while, Kohlberg who predicted it would only happen when children are older.
• Why is gender identity developing earlier a limitation of gender schema theory?

  • Zosuls et al carried out a longitudinal study of 82 children, looked at the onset of gender identity. Data was obtained from twice-weekly reports from mothers on their children’s language between 9-21 months, with videos of children playing. Measure of gender identity was taken to be how and when children labelled themselves as a boy or girl.
  • Occurred on average at 19 months, almost as soon as children begin to communicate.
  • Suggests gender identity probably develops earlier than Martin and Halverson suggested.
• How does gender schema theory account for cultural differences?

  • Cherry, argues that gender schemas not only influence how people process information but also what counts as culturally-appropriate gender behaviour e.g in traditional cultures, who believe women should take a nurturing role and men should pursue a career, raising children who form a schema which is consistent with this view.
  • Whereas in societies which have less rigid boundaries children are more likely to develop a more fluid gender schema.
  • Explains how gender schemas are transmitted with society.
• Why is differences in timing compared to Kohlberg a limitation?

  • Both cognitive theories agree that children play an active role in their gender development, by searching the environment for gender appropriate behaviour. However both theories disagree about when this starts to happen.
  • Kohlberg says children must achieve gender constancy before they show gender appropriate behaviour (age 6). Martin and Halverson argue that children show signs of gender appropriate behaviour shortly after they have achieved gender identity (age 2) due to them building an ingroup schema.
• Use gender schema theory to explain Beatrice’s behaviour at nursery and home?

  • Beatrice is 3 years old so will have developed a gender identity of herself as a girl, developing a girl schema.
  • Her girl schema is an organised group of concepts which consists of all the knowledge she has of girls and how they look and behave.
  • At nursery, Beatrice plays mostly with toys which fit her girl schema
  • At home Beatrice talks mainly about girls, as she pays more attention to girls behaviour actively expanding her ingroup knowledge.
  • talks rarely about boys because she disregards the information.