social learning explanation

• Social learning theory - a way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
• Imitation - gender behaviour is acquired through the child copying the actions of others
• Direct reinforcement - children are reinforced (praised) for gender-appropriate behaviour, so this is more likely to be repeated
• Differential reinforcement - the way in which boys and girls are encouraged to show distinct gender-appropriate behaviour and learn gender identity
• Indirect reinforcement - if a child see another person being reinforced for gender-appropriate behaviour, they are likely to copy/imitate this behaviour in the hope that they too will receive this reward
• Identification - the process by which a child attaches themselves to a (same-sex) model whose qualities they would like to possess for themselves
• Modelling - displaying behaviour to be imitated or copying a chosen person’s behaviour
• social learning theory requires the following mediational (cognitive) processes to be central to learning gender behaviour: attention, retention, motivation and motor reproduction
• Smith and Lloyd (1978) asked adults to play with babies who were randomly dressed as either boys or girls. They found adults encouraged the ‘boys’ to be active and adventurous and gave them rattles, but the ‘girls’ were handed cuddly toys, told they were pretty and reinforced being passive.
• Today there is a less clear-cut definition of stereotypically feminine or masculine behaviour. This can be explained by social change which supports the concept of social learning. Our biology has not changed over the last 50 years but the social norms within society have.
• The social learning theory does not take into consideration the influence of age and maturation (development) on learning gender concepts