cognitive explanations: gender schema theory

• schema are mental constructs that develop via experience. They are used by us to organise out knowledge. Gender schema contain what we know in relation to gender and gender appropriate knowledge
• gender schema theory suggests that children actively structure their own learning of gender
• gender schema theory says that first a child establishes gender identity around 2-3 years old. The child then begins to look around for further information to develop their schema
• gender schema theory also suggests that the search for gender appropriate information occurs much earlier than Kohlberg suggested. Kohlberg’s proposed that children needed to first achieve gender constancy (7 years old) but gender schema theory forms around age 3
• gender appropriate schema expand ove time to include a range of behaviours and personality traits based on stereotypes (boys like trucks, girls like dolls). The schema direct the child’s behaviour based on stereotypes. By 6 years of age, researchers suggest children have acquired a rather fixed and stereotypical idea about what is appropriate for their gender
• children at more attention to and have a better understanding of the schema appropriate to their own group (in group) than those of the opposite gender (out group). In group identify bolsters the child’s level of self-esteem and there is always a tendency to judge. At around 8 years of age children develop elaborate schemas for both genders
• One strength of gender schema theory is that it has research support. Researchers found that children under 6 were more likely to recall gender appropriate photographs than gender inappropriate ones when tested a week later. Children tended to change the gender of the person carrying out the gender inappropriate activity in the photograph when asked to recall them. This supports gender schema theory which predicts that children under 6 would do this
• One limitation is that gender identity probably develops earlier. Researchers analysed twice weekly reports from 82 mothers on their children’s language from 9-12 months and videotapes of the children at play. Children labelled themselves as a boy or a girl on average at 19 months. This suggests that researchers may have underestimated children’s ability to use gender labels for themselves
• One strength is that gender schema theory can account for cultural differences. Researchers argue that gender schema not only influence how people process information but also counts as culturally appropriate gender behaviour. In societies where perceptions of gender have less rigid boundaries, children are more likely to acquire non standard gender stereotypes. This contrasts with come other explanations of gender development, such as psychodynamic theory, which suggests gender identity is more driven by unconscious biological urges