Gender schema theory

• Outline gender schema theory

  Martin and halversons gender schema theory challenged kohlbergs theory by arguing that children imitate same gender models as soon as they learn gender labels, and they are more specific about how a child's understanding of gender is acquired, believing that mental frameworks based on prior experiences are built i.e. schemas. They proposed the idea of in groups (groups of people that we identify with and feel we belong in) and out groups (groups of people who we don't identify with and feel different to).
• What is the main difference of gender schema theory to kohbergs?

  martin and halverson suggested that our gender schemas affect our memory. They showed children aged 5 and 6 photos of people either doing an activity stereotypical for their gender or an activity stereotypical for the opposite gender. They found that the children were more likely to remember the photos of people behaving consistently with gender stereotypes, supporting the idea that children form gender schemas that influence there memory.
• What are the strengths of gender schema theory?

  Supporting research -

  
  

  martin and little found children show gender stereotyped behaviours before acquiring gender constancy.

  
  

  Campbell found infants displayed a significant preference for watching the infant of the same gender as them. Supporting the idea that children identify with people of the same gender before acquiring gender consistency

  
  

  Practical applications - explains why people have firmly held beliefs bout gender as we now know from the cognitive approach to behaviour, that new information that matches a schema is assimilated and information that is inconsistent with a schema is more likely to be ignored, despite evidence of a change in stereotypes being given.