1. Explanation of Gender Development
Learning Approach
Explanation of Gender Development

2. Learning Approach Operant conditioning- gender differences
Principles of shaping due to reinforcements and punishment
Boys treated as big and strong
Girls treated as delicate and pretty
Smith and Lloyd (1978)- crossed dressed babies
Hammer offered to boys more than girls
Boys rewarded for “boy” behaviour, punished for “girl” behaviour and vice versa

3. Learning Approach Social Learning Theory -gender differences
Vicarious reinforcement and observational learning
Girls imitate girls
Boys imitate boys
Relevant behaviour more likely to be imitated
Identification with model must occur

4. Stereotypical gender behaviour
Roles reinforced by
Parents
Extended Family
School and teachers
Media (music, television, movies)
Culture
Society

5. Evaluation
Evidence shows that girls imitate girls and boys imitate boys
Animal studies show that learning explanations explain animal behaviour- increasing reliability
If gender behaviour is learned through observation and reinforcement then we should see variation across cultures, which is not the case.
There are gender differences in newborns- which can not be explained using this theory
Strengths
Weaknesses

6. Expectations
You are expected to explain and compare gender development using the following approaches
Psychodynamic
Biological
Learning
Using your textbook (p. 141) and handouts create a large spider chart that highlights the similarities and differences of these three views