10.1.7

Kohlberg’s Theory of Gender Constancy

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Kohlberg and Piaget

Kohlberg’s theory falls under that of cognitive explanations of gender, first proposed by Piaget.

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Piaget

  • Piaget first suggested the cognitive theory of development.
  • This stated that children’s thought patterns and perspectives changed as they developed.
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Four stages of development

  • He summarised four stages of development:
    • Sensorimotor.
    • Preoperational.
    • Concrete operational.
    • Formal operational.
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Development

As children go through these stages, their thinking and cognitive ability changes, generally becoming more complex.

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Kohlberg

  • Using Piaget as a basis, Kohlberg built on his ideas, stating that gender also develops as children age.
  • Their concept of gender changes over time, just as their thinking and cognitive ability changes over time.

Kohlberg’s (1966) Theory of Gender Constancy

Kohlberg proposes three stages of gender development: gender identity, gender stability, and gender constancy.

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Piagetand Kohlberg

  • Using Piaget as a basis, Kohlberg built on his ideas, stating that gender develops as children age.
  • Their concept of gender changes over time just like their thinking and cognitive ability.
  • Kohlberg proposed three stages of development.
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Gender identity (ages 2-3)

  • Gender identity (ages 2-3)
  • In this stage, the children become aware of gender and their own gender.
  • They are generally able to classify traits and superficial characteristics as being male and female.
    • Superficial characteristics are things like hair length, clothing, type of toys.
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Gender identity (ages 2-3) cont.

  • In this stage, children believe that if a person changes their gender-specific (suit to dress for example), then the person’s gender also changes.
  • Therefore, they believe that their own gender might be able to change.
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Gender stability (ages 4-7)

  • Gender stability (ages 4-7)
  • In this stage, children begin to see gender as being a fixed concept.
  • In other words, boys will become men and girls will become women.
  • However, they also believe that when doing a different sex activity (think stereotypical gender roles like men doing housework or women going hunting), then gender can change in these different situations.
  • But overall they see gender as more fixed than in the gender identity stage.
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Gender constancy (around age 6+)

  • Gender constancy (around age 6+)
  • In the final stage, children are aware that gender is fixed even when they (or other people) are doing different gendered activities.
  • In other words, if a man wears women’s clothing, they do not change gender.
  • Their own gender becomes internalised. They understand that their gender is a permanent concept.

Jump to other topics

1Social Influence

2Memory

3Attachment

4Psychopathology

5Approaches in Psychology

6Biopsychology

7Research Methods

8Issues & Debates in Psychology (A2 only)

9Option 1: Relationships (A2 only)

10Option 1: Gender (A2 only)

11Option 1: Cognition & Development (A2 only)

12Option 2: Schizophrenia (A2 only)

13Option 2: Eating Behaviour (A2 only)

14Option 2: Stress (A2 only)

15Option 3: Aggression (A2 only)

16Option 3: Forensic Psychology (A2 only)

17Option 3: Addiction (A2 only)

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