Lesson 4 Flashcards
The three theories on Gender
Psychological Response, Sociological Response, Biological Perspective
According to Freud, what is the primary source of human behavior?
The unconscious mind.
What does psychodynamic theory emphasize in terms of gender development?
The influence of an individual’s relationship with other people.
How is an infant’s sense of self and gender identity developed according to psychodynamic theory?
Through internalization of the views of other people around them.
What developmental paths do male and female infants follow according to psychodynamic theory?
Distinct paths that reflect their relationship with their mothers.
According to psychodynamic theorists, what is fundamental in the formation of identity?
The identity formed in infancy.
Does the psychodynamic theory of identity suggest that identity is static or fixed in the early years of life?
No, identity continues to grow and change throughout life.
At which stage of psychosexual development does psychodynamic theory suggest that gender identity and role are acquired?
The phallic stage.
How does the social world impact the inclinations we are born with?
The social world amplifies or tones down those inclinations.
What is the focus of libido during the phallic stage of development?
The genitals.
How does social learning theory view gender identity and role?
As a set of behaviors learned from the environment.
What does social learning theory emphasize in the development of gender?
The influence of an individual’s relationship with other people.
According to social learning theory, how do individuals learn to be masculine or feminine?
By imitating others and getting responses from others to their behaviors.
How do people around individuals influence children’s behaviors according to social learning theory?
They reward only some of the children’s behaviors, and reinforced behaviors tend to be repeated.
What does social learning theory suggest about the reinforcement process?
It continues throughout life with messages that reinforce femininity in women and masculinity in men.
What influence is emphasized in the development of gender according to cognitive development theory?
The influence of an individual’s relationship with other people.
What role do cognitive psychologists emphasize in the development of gender identity and roles?
The role of thinking processes.
How do changes in gender role behavior reflect changes in children’s understanding of gender according to cognitive development theory?
They reflect changes in how children understand and think about gender.
How does cognitive development theory differ from social learning theory in terms of learning gender identities?
Cognitive development theory assumes that children play active roles in developing their gender identities.
What does Kohlberg’s stage theory of gender development propose?
A child’s understanding of gender moves forward in stages.
At what age is the first stage of gender identity usually reached, and what happens during this stage?
By the age of 2 years; the child is able to correctly label its own sex.
What is the second stage of gender development, and at what age is it usually reached?
Gender stability, usually reached by the age of 4 years.
What is the third stage of gender development, and what does the child understand during this stage?
Gender constancy; the child starts to understand that gender is independent of external features. This stage is usually reached by the age of 7 years.
What are females socialized to value according to cognitive development theory?
Connections with others, communication of care and responsiveness, and preservation of relationships.
What are males more likely to be socialized to value according to cognitive development theory?
Autonomy and communication that preserves their independence from others.
How do individuals decide to act in relation to society’s expectations of their gender?
Most decide to act in ways that are consistent with social views of gender.
This theory views gender identity and role as a set of behaviors learned from the environment and emphasizes the role of imitation and reinforcement in the learning process.
Social Learning Theory
According to this theory, the unconscious mind is the primary source of human behavior, and an infant’s relationship with their mother is fundamental to the formation of their identity.
Psychodynamic Theory
This theory emphasizes how children gather and make sense of information about gender and proposes that a child’s understanding of gender moves through stages over time.
Cognitive Development Theory
In this theory, changes in gender role behavior reflect changes in how children understand and think about gender, and it assumes that children play active roles in developing their gender identities.
Cognitive Development Theory
This theory claims that gender identity and role are acquired during the phallic stage of psychosexual development and that the first relationship an infant forms influences their gender identity.
Psychodynamic Theory
This theory suggests that the reinforcement process continues throughout life, with messages reinforcing femininity in women and masculinity in men.
Social Learning Theory
This theory highlights the influence of an individual’s relationship with other people in the development of gender and focuses on interactions with others to define themselves.
Cognitive Development Theory
This theory views social world influences as amplifying or toning down the inclinations we are born with and emphasizes that people reward certain behaviors, reinforcing them over time.
Social Learning Theory
