Gender Schema Theory - Essay Example

Gender-based theory Gender schema theory Sandra Bem formerly introduced the gender schema theory in 1981, which was later expanded by Charles Halverson and Carol Martin in 1983.Bem introduced gender schema theory as a cognitive theory so as to explain the reason why persons become gendered in a given society, as well as how sex-linked features are not only maintained but also transmitted to the rest of other culture members. Gender-linked information is principally transmitted via society by manner of schema or rather information networks that facilitate some information to be quite readily assimilated as compared to others. Thus, Bem claims that individual differences exist in the extent to which individuals hold to such gender schemata. Such differences manifest themselves through the level to which people are sex-types (Cherry, 2015). Fundamentally therefore, gender schema theory is a gender development theory that brings together cognitive learning as well as social learning theory. This is to say that gender responsibilities are shaped in part by close observation of what others are doing and learning from the way they act, as well as from achieving cognitive roles particular to cultures carried out by both women and men. This also means that children will for instance learn what it implies to be female and male from the specific culture which they have been brought up in. According to gender schema theory therefore, children will fine-tune their behavior in order for them to be in sync with not only the gender expectations and norms of the culture in which they belong to. Normally, gender schemas are on the basis of children’s observations and interactions with their culture, environment and others. In addition, gender schemas are utilized in organizing and directing the behavior of a child on the basis of their society’s expectation and norms particularly related to the gender of the child (Butler, 2011). Gender schemas can be described as organized series of gender-linked beliefs that mostly influence one’s behavior. Such gender schemas develop due to observation of children of society’s definition of what being male or female is in their culture. Furthermore, gender schemas assist in determining what children attend to, the manner in which they interpret the world as well as what children recall about their experiences. Moreover, gender schemas also organize the experiences of the child by offering a way for the children to be conscious of latest social information. Thus for instance, a 6 year old boy might have a schema containing information regarding which kind of clothes girls wear and which kind of clothes boys wear. Since the boy, for example knows that dresses are worn by girls, he would not wear one when presented with one (Butler, 2011). Identity for core gender is linked with the sex typing that a person may go through. Bem, in her theory describes 4 classes in which a person may fall; cross sex typed, sex-typed, undifferentiated and androgynous. Sex-typed persons process in addition to integrating information which is in accordance with his/her gender. On the other hand, cross-sexed persons process as well as integrate information which is in accordance with the other gender. Thus, androgynous persons process as well as integrate attributes and information from either gender. Eventually, undifferentiated persons fail to exhibit effective processing of information that is sex-typed (Butler, 2011). Due to the fact that gender schema theory deals with process and not necessarily content, the theory can assist in explaining some of the practices through which gender stereotypes turn out to be psychologically ingrained within a society. Having gender schemata that is particularly strong offers a filter via which one can process incoming stimuli within his/her environment. This, usually results in a simpler capacity to assimilate information which is stereotypically congruent, thus solidifying further gender stereotypes existence. Bem hypothesizes that within the development of adolescents ,a child should choose amongst a surplus of dimensions, nevertheless that gender schemas result in behavior regulation that kowtow the cultural description of what it means being female or male (Benson & Haith,2010). In addition, Bem emphasizes that heterosexuality subschema also exists, which probably encourages gender schemas development. Many societies take exclusive heterosexuality as being the yardstick for appropriate femininity and masculinity i.e. heterosexuality is the custom. Moreover, heterosexuality subschema affirms that women and men should not be identical and must be different from each other. It is therefore theorized that this could be the reason why cross-sexed relations may probably be sexually coded. Sex-typed persons have a common readiness to call upon the heterosexuality subschema especially in social relations and behaves differently towards persons of the opposite sex that they deem unattractive versus attractive. Some of the earliest gender schema theory tests appeared in the way of memory as well as other cognitive roles programmed to evaluate enabled processing of information that is sex-typed. A lot of this previous research discovered that sex-typed participants recalled more features related to their sex in addition to processing sex-typed congruent information more effectively, indicating that the gender schemata that sex-typed persons possess assists in assimilating sex-related information within a person’s self-concept. Bem proved that when offered the choice of clustering words by either gender or semantic meaning, sex-typed persons are most likely to make use of the gender clustering system, with the undifferentiated persons following closely. Cross-typed persons had the smallest fraction of words grouped by gender. A very reliable source of sex-typing emanates from parents’ rearing practices. Bem provides strong recommendations for thwarting children sex-typing, including preventing them from accessing the media that encourages sex-typing, changing media as well as stories so as to get rid of sex-typing information in addition to modeling same roles for fathers and mothers within the house. For instance, Bem had to edit the books that were being read by her children so as to produce a more androgynous perspective. This comprised, for instance, drawing elongated hair as well as feminine body features on masculine figures (Kail & Cavanaugh, 2015). Eventually, nevertheless, this is to some extent limited since children will be under the exposure of some bit of sex-typing information, especially when they start going to school. Thus, Bem recommends instructing children alternative schemata in order for them to be less likely to make and sustain a gender schema. Additionally, some examples comprise personal differences schema, whereby children will be allowed to learn processing of information on an individual by individual basis instead of making extensive assumptions regarding groups on the basis of information from people. In addition, offering children a sexism schema, whereby they study how processing of sex-typed information via a filter that encourages moral outrage whenever promotion of sexist information is taking place can help in offering children the resources not only to prevent them from being sex-typed but also encourage social change that is positive. Consequently, Bem hoped to increase consciousness that the female/male dichotomy be utilized as an organizing structure, frequently unreasonably, particularly within the school curriculum. Bem further emphasized that the gender omnirelevance impacts negatively on society and that gender schema must be restricted in scope. In the lens of feminists, androgyny is not adequately radical, since androgyny implies that “feminine” and “masculine” still are in existence. Instead society should minimize utilization of the gender dichotomy as a unit that is functional, and rather be aschematic (Rathus, 2012). References Butler, J. (2011). Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. New York,NY: Routledge. Cherry, K. (2015). What Is Gender Schema Theory? Psychology Today , pg 1-3. Benson, J. & Haith,M. (2010). Social and Emotional Development in Infancy and Early Childhood. New York,NY: Elsevier. Rathus, S. (2012). Psychology: Concepts & Connections, Brief Version. New York,NY: Cengage Brain . Kail,R.& Cavanaugh,J. (2015). Human Development: A Life-Span View. New York,NY Cengage Brain. Read More