Cognitive Explanations of Gender Development

• Gender development


  A complex process influenced by various cognitive theories
• Kohlberg's theory


  Proposes that children go through different stages in developing their understanding of gender
• Stages of gender development according to Kohlberg

  1. Gender identity

  2. Gender stability

  3. Gender constancy
• Gender identity


  Children can label themselves as a boy or a girl, typically around age two or three
• Gender stability


  Understanding that their gender remains constant over time, e.g., a girl will grow up to be a woman
• Gender constancy


  Realizing that gender is not altered by superficial changes like clothing or hairstyle, usually reached by around age seven
• Gender schema theory


  Suggests that children actively construct mental frameworks, or schemas, pertaining to gender
• Gender schemas


  Influence how children interpret and organize information about gender
• Female schema


  • Includes traits, behaviors, and roles associated with being a girl
• Cognitive explanations of gender development highlight the role of children's thinking processes in shaping their understanding of gender roles and identities