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PSYA3 Gender: 
Cognitive Development 
Theory 
Mrs Jan
The cognitive approach... 
...is all about the 
thinking 
behind gender 
development... 
• …& also recognises 
that a person’s 
gender role is the 
result of their 
gender identity…
Cognitive Development 
To Start: The Cognitive Approach 
Schema 
Mental Processes 
Perception 
Thinking 
Thought Patterns 
The cognitive approach to gender considers 
the development of our thought patterns 
and cognitions. 
A child’s perception of gender behaviour 
(including their own gender) is crucial for 
their acquisition of gender. 
There are a series of developmental steps or 
stages that a child goes through before their 
perception of gender is fully developed.
Cognitive Development 
Kohlberg (1966) Gender Constancy Theory 
Children cannot distinguish between appearance and reality. Kohlberg argued that changes in 
gender thinking come about because of the natural stages of a child’s cognitive development. He 
proposed a set of gradual stages: 
1) Gender Labelling / Identity 2 - 3.5 years 
Label gender but only based 
on appearance. 
2) Gender Stability 3.5 - 4.5 years 
Gender is consistent over 
time but cant generalise this 
to others. Appearance is still 
a factor 
3) Gender Constancy/Consistency 
6 years 
Gender is constant across 
time and situations. Gender 
appropriate behaviour.
Cognitive Development 
Task: The Ken Experiment 
5 minutes 
With the person next to you, discuss how 
a child at each of the following ages would 
answer the question ‘Is this a boy doll or a 
girl doll?’ for each phase of the 
experiment. 
1) 2 years old 
2) 4 years old 
3) 6 years old 
Phase A 
Phase B 
Phase C
Cognitive Development 
The Ken Experiment 
This is how the children responded…. 
http://www.youtube.com/wat 
ch?v=VZb2len6f18
Cognitive Development 
Task: Kohlberg Storyboards 
15 minutes 
Alison is 2 years old. She 
knows she is a girl and she 
likes dressing up in fairy 
outfits. She likes wearing 
dresses and is able to identify 
a boy by his short hair. 
By the age of 4 she realises 
that when she grows up 
she’ll be a lady. ‘When I 
grow up, I’ll be like my 
Mummy!’ she says! 
At age 6, Alison makes a 
friend called Billy. Billy likes 
to play with dolls with Alison. 
Even though Billy likes dolls, 
Alison knows that Billy is still 
and will always be a boy.
Gender Identity… (AO1) 
 Children begin to think about 
gender at approx. 2 years. 
 Children believe that their sex 
can change – a girl may want to 
be a daddy when she grows up. 
 At this age children believe that 
changing clothes can change a 
person’s sex i.e. a boy in a dress 
becomes a girl! 
 Children may show a preference 
for playing with children or their 
own sex – this is only because 
they see themselves as belonging 
to that particular group.
Gender Stability… (AO1) 
 At the age of 4 (approx) 
children begin to realise 
that their sex will not 
change over time and that 
they will remain the sex 
they are. 
 Due to the fact that they 
are egocentric they do not 
realise that this also 
applies to other people 
A woman doing a man’s job 
would be labelled ‘a man’.
Gender Constancy (AO1) 
 At approximately 5 years: children begin to appreciate that 
other people have a different point of view from their own – 
they are less egocentric – they de-centre. 
 They realise that everyone’s gender is constant & that 
changes in outward appearances do not influence whether 
someone is male or female – this is known as conservation. 
 They understand that a persons sex is the same across time 
and different situations. 
 Kohlberg believed that it was at this time that children 
actively seek out role models to imitate to help them develop 
their sense of gender.
A development: Gender Schema 
Theory 
 This theory agrees with Kohlberg in that children actively seek gender-related 
role models; BUT they believe that it happens earlier, around 2 or 
3 years old. 
 A schema is a model in ones minds that helps make sense of the world 
i.e. children form stereotypes of the ways that they think males and 
females behave. 
 They go on to develop scripts of activities and/or actions that males and 
females perform (women make the dinner, men fix cars). 
 Children monitor their environment for information and behaviours that 
are consistent with their ideas of appropriate male and female behaviour 
and add assimilate this information into their thinking. 
 If a behaviour is considered inconsistent they may just ignore it so that 
their stereotypes or schemas don’t need to be altered – they need to be 
able to predict behaviour and stereotypes allow them to do this.
PSYA3 Gender: 
Cognitive Development 
Theory 
Mrs Jan
Cognitive Development 
What is a Schema? 
Organised clusters of information. 
A mental blue print of information. 
E.g. When we say picnic, what do we think 
of? What is expected? 
A cognitive framework which helps 
us to organise and interpret information. 
They focus on things which help us to 
confirm our pre-existing ideas or beliefs and 
often contribute to stereotypes. 
So, what gender schemas exist..?
Cognitive Development 
Gender Schema Theory 
Martin and Halverson (1981) 
Gender is acquired by gathering 
information about our own gender. 
But this happens before Gender 
Constancy. 
Being able to identify oneself as a 
girl or boy is enough for us to get 
involved in gender-appropriate 
behaviours.
Schemas 
Cognitive Development 
5 Minutes 
Children learn gender schemas from their interactions with other 
children and adults. 
They learn what toys are appropriate to each gender. 
They have theories about appropriate behaviour for men and women.
Cognitive Development 
Ingroup and Outgroup Schemas 
5 Minutes 
Ingroup: Groups we identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl you identify 
with girls. 
Outgroup: Groups that we don’t identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl 
you don’t identify with boys. 
Once a child has identified with a group, this leads them to positively 
evaluate their own group. This leads them to be like their own group 
and avoid behaviours of the outgroup. They focus on ingroup 
schemas before gender constancy.
Cognitive Development 
Gender Schema Theory Synoptic A02 
Are stereotypical gender schema’s still valid? Are schema’s generational? Why? 
Do people always follow their schemas? Are schemas reliable in predicting 
behaviour? 
Gender schema theory emphasises how schemas develop but not where they 
originate; cognitive aspects tend to overlook the impact of parents, friends, school 
and the media on the development of gender schemas. 
Does it explain why children are frequently highly sexist despite the best efforts of 
parents. Children do insist on playing with Barbie dolls and toy guns.

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Psychological explanations of gender development

  • 1. PSYA3 Gender: Cognitive Development Theory Mrs Jan
  • 2. The cognitive approach... ...is all about the thinking behind gender development... • …& also recognises that a person’s gender role is the result of their gender identity…
  • 3. Cognitive Development To Start: The Cognitive Approach Schema Mental Processes Perception Thinking Thought Patterns The cognitive approach to gender considers the development of our thought patterns and cognitions. A child’s perception of gender behaviour (including their own gender) is crucial for their acquisition of gender. There are a series of developmental steps or stages that a child goes through before their perception of gender is fully developed.
  • 4. Cognitive Development Kohlberg (1966) Gender Constancy Theory Children cannot distinguish between appearance and reality. Kohlberg argued that changes in gender thinking come about because of the natural stages of a child’s cognitive development. He proposed a set of gradual stages: 1) Gender Labelling / Identity 2 - 3.5 years Label gender but only based on appearance. 2) Gender Stability 3.5 - 4.5 years Gender is consistent over time but cant generalise this to others. Appearance is still a factor 3) Gender Constancy/Consistency 6 years Gender is constant across time and situations. Gender appropriate behaviour.
  • 5. Cognitive Development Task: The Ken Experiment 5 minutes With the person next to you, discuss how a child at each of the following ages would answer the question ‘Is this a boy doll or a girl doll?’ for each phase of the experiment. 1) 2 years old 2) 4 years old 3) 6 years old Phase A Phase B Phase C
  • 6. Cognitive Development The Ken Experiment This is how the children responded…. http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=VZb2len6f18
  • 7. Cognitive Development Task: Kohlberg Storyboards 15 minutes Alison is 2 years old. She knows she is a girl and she likes dressing up in fairy outfits. She likes wearing dresses and is able to identify a boy by his short hair. By the age of 4 she realises that when she grows up she’ll be a lady. ‘When I grow up, I’ll be like my Mummy!’ she says! At age 6, Alison makes a friend called Billy. Billy likes to play with dolls with Alison. Even though Billy likes dolls, Alison knows that Billy is still and will always be a boy.
  • 8. Gender Identity… (AO1)  Children begin to think about gender at approx. 2 years.  Children believe that their sex can change – a girl may want to be a daddy when she grows up.  At this age children believe that changing clothes can change a person’s sex i.e. a boy in a dress becomes a girl!  Children may show a preference for playing with children or their own sex – this is only because they see themselves as belonging to that particular group.
  • 9. Gender Stability… (AO1)  At the age of 4 (approx) children begin to realise that their sex will not change over time and that they will remain the sex they are.  Due to the fact that they are egocentric they do not realise that this also applies to other people A woman doing a man’s job would be labelled ‘a man’.
  • 10. Gender Constancy (AO1)  At approximately 5 years: children begin to appreciate that other people have a different point of view from their own – they are less egocentric – they de-centre.  They realise that everyone’s gender is constant & that changes in outward appearances do not influence whether someone is male or female – this is known as conservation.  They understand that a persons sex is the same across time and different situations.  Kohlberg believed that it was at this time that children actively seek out role models to imitate to help them develop their sense of gender.
  • 11. A development: Gender Schema Theory  This theory agrees with Kohlberg in that children actively seek gender-related role models; BUT they believe that it happens earlier, around 2 or 3 years old.  A schema is a model in ones minds that helps make sense of the world i.e. children form stereotypes of the ways that they think males and females behave.  They go on to develop scripts of activities and/or actions that males and females perform (women make the dinner, men fix cars).  Children monitor their environment for information and behaviours that are consistent with their ideas of appropriate male and female behaviour and add assimilate this information into their thinking.  If a behaviour is considered inconsistent they may just ignore it so that their stereotypes or schemas don’t need to be altered – they need to be able to predict behaviour and stereotypes allow them to do this.
  • 12. PSYA3 Gender: Cognitive Development Theory Mrs Jan
  • 13. Cognitive Development What is a Schema? Organised clusters of information. A mental blue print of information. E.g. When we say picnic, what do we think of? What is expected? A cognitive framework which helps us to organise and interpret information. They focus on things which help us to confirm our pre-existing ideas or beliefs and often contribute to stereotypes. So, what gender schemas exist..?
  • 14. Cognitive Development Gender Schema Theory Martin and Halverson (1981) Gender is acquired by gathering information about our own gender. But this happens before Gender Constancy. Being able to identify oneself as a girl or boy is enough for us to get involved in gender-appropriate behaviours.
  • 15. Schemas Cognitive Development 5 Minutes Children learn gender schemas from their interactions with other children and adults. They learn what toys are appropriate to each gender. They have theories about appropriate behaviour for men and women.
  • 16. Cognitive Development Ingroup and Outgroup Schemas 5 Minutes Ingroup: Groups we identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl you identify with girls. Outgroup: Groups that we don’t identify with. E.g. if you’re a girl you don’t identify with boys. Once a child has identified with a group, this leads them to positively evaluate their own group. This leads them to be like their own group and avoid behaviours of the outgroup. They focus on ingroup schemas before gender constancy.
  • 17. Cognitive Development Gender Schema Theory Synoptic A02 Are stereotypical gender schema’s still valid? Are schema’s generational? Why? Do people always follow their schemas? Are schemas reliable in predicting behaviour? Gender schema theory emphasises how schemas develop but not where they originate; cognitive aspects tend to overlook the impact of parents, friends, school and the media on the development of gender schemas. Does it explain why children are frequently highly sexist despite the best efforts of parents. Children do insist on playing with Barbie dolls and toy guns.