Explaining Gender Roles:

Two Contemporary Theories

Social Learning Theory

• Gender theories have included findings and opinions from anthropology, sociology, neuroscience, medicine, philosophy, political science, economics, and religion

• Social Learning Theory - Gender roles are acquired through the basic processes of learning, including reinforcement, punishment, and modeling

Gender Schema Theory

Gender-role development is influenced by the child’s formation of schemas, or mental representations, of masculinity and femininity

An example of how a child forms a schema associated with gender. A girl is offered a choice of 4 toys to play with.

I am a girl

Toy car

Doll

Orange

Artichoke

Approach object

Who for?

Is it relevant to me?

Avoid/Forget

Assign to category and remember/Approach

Not for me

For me

Boys

Girls

Gender Schemas…

1. Influence how people pay attention to, perceive, interpret, and remember gender-relevant behavior

2. Seem to lead children to perceive members of their own sex more favorably than members of the opposite sex

3. Include a broad range of qualities and attributes that are less concrete, such as associating “gentleness” with females and “toughness” with males

A Quick Comparison

• Social Learning Theory – Children learn gender roles through observation of parents & through reinforcement.

• Gender Schema Theory – Children actively form mental categories (schemas) for masculinity & femininity, recognize their own gender role, and select activities that match that role.