Module 4

1. Theories ofTheories of
GenderGender
DevelopmentDevelopment

2. Basic
Terms
• Gender constancy: the knowledge
that gender is a permanent
characteristic and will not change with
superficial alterations.
• Gender identity: individual
identification of self as female or male.

3. • Gender labeling: the ability to label
self and others as male or female.
• Gender role: a set of socially
significant activities associated with
being male or female.
Basic Terms

4. Symbols
Symbol Der i vat i
on
Fact
Symbol for
the planet
Mars
Denotes a
male
organism or
a man.
Symbol for
the planet
Venus
Denotes a
female
organism or

5. Basic Gender
Symbols
Symbol Der i vat i
on
Fact
Symbol for
the planet
Mercury
Denotes an
intersexes
individual.
Symbolizes
bisexual
individuals
in Nazi
Denotes
“biangles”

6. Social Learning Theory
Gender role derives from French for roll
Role denotes expected, socially encouraged patterns of
behavior exhibited by individuals in specific situations.
Emphasizes the influence of the environment.
A variation of traditional learning theory.

7. Traditional Learning
Theory
• Learning: A change in behavior that is
the result of experience or practice.
• Operant conditioning: A form of
learning based on applying reinforcement
and punishment.

8. Traditional Learning
Theory
• Reinforcer: Any stimulus that increases the
probability that a behavior will recur.
• Punishment: any stimulus that decreases the
probability that a behavior will recur.
• Each individual has a unique learning history.

9. Results of Reinforcement and
Punishment for Gender-
Related Behaviors
Behavi or Consequenc
es
Resul t
Little girl
plays with
doll
Receives
praise
Plays with doll
again.
Little girl
plays with
truck
Scolded for
choosing a
truck
Does not play
with truck
again.

10. Punishment for Gender-
Related Behaviors
Behavi or Consequenc
es
Resul t
Little boy
plays with
doll
Scolded
for choosing
a doll
Does not play
with doll again
Little boy
plays with
truck
Receives praise
for toy choice
Plays with
truck again

11. Includes Cognitive
Processes
• Observation is more important than reinforcement
• Learning is cognitive
• Performance is behavioral
• Separates learning from performing learned
behaviors
• Investigates factors that affect both.

12. Gender Children &
Television
• Oriented toward boys
• Males out number females 3:1
• Females < visible, important, active
• Females > polite, romantic, supportive
• 1990’s: females > independent, assertive,
intelligent, competent, responsible & <
emotional, tentative, & sensitive.

13. Gender Children &
Television
• Pokémon cartoons:
– Some consistent with stereotypical gender
depictions
– Others vary from gender stereotypes
– “Good” Pokémon trainers employ stereotypes
– “Bad” Pokémon trainers behave in no
stereotypical ways.

14. Television, and
Advertising
• History of biased gender portrayals
– Changes have also occurred (Larson, 2001).
• Number of girls equals number of boys in
commercials.
• Still convey clear messages re: toys & gender
• Few offer attractive portrayals of children deviating
from gender stereotypes (Pike & Jennings, 2005).

15. Parenting
• Fagot & Hagan (1991)
– Fathers gave fewer positive responses to their
18-month-old sons who chose ‘girls’ toys.’
– Mothers spend more time in communication
with their daughters.
• Wood et al. (2002)
– Showed fewer differences in parental play.
– Tendency to choose “masculine” toys for boys
was still evident.

16. Cognitive Theories
Cognitive Developmental Theory
Gender Schema Theory
Gender Script Theory

17. Cognitive
Developmental Theory
• Gender identity is a cognitive
concept that children learn as part of
the process of learning about the
physical world & their bodies.

18. Cognitive
Developmental Theory
• Children younger than 2 have no
concept of gender
• Cannot consistently label
themselves or others as male or
female.

19. Constancy
• Among the last types of gender
knowledge to be acquired.
• Gender Constancy is an
understanding that gender is a
permanent personal characteristic
that will not change.

20. Gender Schema
Theory
• An extension of cognitive
developmental theory
• Explains gender identity in terms of
schemata
–Cognitive structures that underlie
complex concepts.
–Behavior changes to conform to
gender roles.

21. Theory
• An extension of gender schema
theory.
• Children learn about gender by
acquiring scripts
–Ordered sequences of behavior
with a gender stereotype
component.
–Organize knowledge & facilitate
social relationships.

22. Flexibility
• Understanding the development of
gender flexibility is a goal for
researchers in late adolescence.
– Research has shown that this is a time
during which individuals gain flexibility of
gender beliefs.
– According to cognitive developmental
theory children undergo no additional
cognitive changes after early adolescence.