gender schema theory

• gender schema is a set of beliefs and expectations related to gender that are derived from experience and forms stereotypical gender appropriate behaviour
• gender schema after gender identity

  martin and halverson once child established gender identity age 2-3 child searches for info encouraging growth of schema such as role model
• gender schema determine behaviour

  expands personality traits and behaviours. childs schema formed around stereotypes and provide a framework that directs experience. age 6 fixed stereotypical data about whats appropriate behaviour for gender and child is likely to disregard info that does not fit with schema
• ingroup info better remembered

  child better understanding of schema of ingroup behaviour consistent attention to info relevant to gender identity rather than outgroup. age 8 elaborate schema of both genders. ingroup boosts self-esteem
• conflicting evidence age at which children seek out gender-appropriate behaviour. Kohlberg's and Martin and Halverson's theories agree that children play an active role in their own gender development, searching the environment for what counts as stereotypically gender-appropriate behaviour. However, they disagree on when this starts to happen. Kohlberg argues that children must achieve gender constancy before they begin to demonstrate gender-appropriate behaviour . Once they have, they look for gender-appropriate role models to imitate.
• In contrast, Martin and Halverson argue that children start to show signs of gender-appropriate behaviour shortly after they have achieved gender identity. This is because children are in the process of building an ingroup gender schema, and so will select behaviours that correspond with their gender.
• gender schema theory account cultural differences. cherry 2019 argues gender schema influence how we process info and what is culturally appropriate. traditional women nurture men career raise child with these views. modern cultures less rigid more gender fluid. martin & halverson explain how schema transmitted between members in society and cultural differences are formed. contrasts bio or psychodynamic explanation
• +support schema 4 year old. martin & little 1990 reported that children under the age of 4 no signs gender stability or constancy. despite lack of constancy they do display strong signs of gender stereotypes about what girls are allowed to do. influence gender appropriate role models strong influence childs behaviour as follow stereotypical roles, forming their gender schema such as girls take in nurturing role
• + support schema 10 year old. hines et al (2002) found that by the age of 10 children had already internalised many aspects of gender stereotype. they believed that boys and girls should behave differently and that there was a difference between masculine and feminine behaviour. this suggests that children are actively constructing their gender schema from an early age.