Kohlberg's theory

Question 1

What is kohlbergs theory?

Answer 1

Cognitive developmental theory
Childs understanding of gender becomes more sophisticated with age
Biological maturation - as the brain matures so does thinking
Gradual rather than sudden

Question 2

What is stage 1?

Answer 2

Gender identity
2 years
Can correctly identify themselves as a boy or a girl
3 years
Identify other people as boys or girls
Correctly respond to questions such as ‘which one of these is like you?” when shown an image of man or woman
Don’t view gender as fixed

Question 3

What is stage 2?

Answer 3

Gender stability
4 years
Always stay the same gender
Cannot apply this logic to other people in other situations
Confused by external changes in appearance
People change gender if they engage in activities associated with a different gender

Question 4

What is stage 3?

Answer 4

Gender constancy
6 years
Gender remains constant across time and situations
Applied to other peoples gender as well as their own
Begin to seek out gender-appropriate role models to identify with and imitate
Once internalised concept of gender - they embark upon an active search for evidence which confirms that concept
Tendency towards gender stereotyping begins to emerge at this age

Question 5

What is a strength of kohlbergs stage theory?

Answer 5

Does emerge around age of 6 as he predicted
Damon
Told children story about George - boy who liked to play with dolls
Asked to comment on the story
4 year - it was fine for George to play with dolls if he wanted to
6 year - wrong for George to play with dolls
Gone beyond understanding what boys and girls do, developing rules about what they ought to do
Suggests that children who have achieved constancy have formed rigid stereotypes regarding gender appropriate behaviour

Question 6

What is a weakness of kohlbergs stage theory?

Answer 6

Bussey and Bandura
Children as young as 4 reported ‘feeling good’ about playing with gender appropriate toys and ‘bad’ about doing the opposite
Contradicts what kohlbergs theory would predict
May support gender schema theory
Children begin to absorb gender-appropriate information as soon as they identify themselves as either a boy or a girl

Question 7

What is a weakness of kohlbergs stage theory?

Answer 7

Methodological problem
Relies on unsatisfactory methods to assess gender constancy
Bem
Little wonder young children are confused by gender and appearance and context
Best way is through physical differences
40% of children ages 3-5 years were able to demonstrate constancy if shown naked photo of child-to-be identified first
Suggesting typical way of testing gender constancy may misrepresent what younger children actually know

Question 8

What is a weakness of kohlbergs stage theory?

Answer 8

Influenced by changes in the developing brain and increased intellectual capacity with age - nature approach
Cross cultural studies which suggest cognitive changes described may be universal and therefor biological
Children search for confirmation of gender stereotypes in the constancy stage, doesn’t account for socialisation process
Nature or nurture