Gender Consistency Theory - IDA This theory links to the nature nurture debate. Which part of the theory is nature? Which part of the theory is nurture? Nature - all children will go through the three stages in order at the set ages Nurture – the information that the children will collect about gender through self socialisation will vary according to their culture, so the theory allows for a very different understanding of gender to exist in different cultures.

So what?? Positive - interaction between nature and nurture more holistic explanation of gender development than other approaches e.g. biological – takes into consideration the complexity of gender development – however this also makes it very difficult to study scientifically

Negative – role of nature is questionable – evidence suggests ages stated in the theory may not be accurate and it is also possible that children do not pass through the stages in the order stated – it may be that nurture plays a more important role than this theory suggests