AO3

• Martin et al observed children playing with toys and found boys played with toys labelled for boys, but when they saw boys playing with girls toys they didn’t model this which infers direct tuition is a more accurate description of gender than the modelling theory
• SLT fails to acknowledge the importance of biological factors in gender development, places emphasis on modelling but Reimer case provides evidence against this (raised as a girl due to botched circumcision had a male gender identity) 
• Rekers reported in 70 gender-dysphoric boys there was more evidence of social than biological factors, and there was a common factor of a lack of stereotypical male role models suggesting SL factors play a role in determining gender as it also plays a role in gender dysphoria
• influence of parents

  Block found that boys are positively reinforced more for imitating behaviours reflecting independence, self-reliance and emotional control while girls are reinforced for dependence, nurturance empathy and emotional expressions. This suggests that SLT can explain why males and females aquire different gender roles.
• influence of parents

  Frisch observed adults interaction with a 14 month old baby that was first introduced as a boy then a girl, adults who thought they were a boy encouraged more activity, girl more interpersonal and nurturing way which shows parents influence gender development of child through SL
• inflence of peers

  Maccoby reported children quickly associate with same sex playmates, congregating and dividing themselves into ss groups and resisting attempts to interact with the opposite gender children, supporting idea that gender differences emerge as a result of interaction with peer settings
• influence of peers

  Langlois and Downs found that peers were less tolerant than mothers of pre-schoolers playing with opposite gender toys, supporting the idea of peers being a stronger influence on gender development than parents.
• If behaviour always arises as a result of imitation, it does not easily explain the emergence of new trends in gender-related behaviour, such as 'the new man' who is happy to change nappies and prepare the dinner.
• The theory does not easily explain the gender differences which exist between same-sex siblings - two sisters raised in the same household by the same parents may have one which is more femenine, suggesting more of a biological influence on gender development.
• SLT neglects the role of biological factors in gender development - in the case of David Reimer (the penectimised twin) it was not possible to raise a biological male as a female and override chromosomal influence. Modern researchers are more likely to accept the biological theory of gender: there are innate biological differences between boys and girls that are reinforced through social interaction and cultural expectations.