Gender &

Development
Introduction
•Gender
-one of the universal dimensions on which
status differences are based.

-is a social construct specifying the socially

and culturally prescribed roles that men and
women are to follow.
•Sex
-is a biological concept.
Theories of Gender Development
• Social Learning Theory
• Cognitive-Developmental Theory
• Gender Schema Theory
Social Learning Theory
• Proponents of this theory
believe that parents, as
distributors of reinforcement,
reinforce appropriate gender role
behavior.
Cognitive-Developmental Theory
• This is derived from Kohlberg's
speculations about gender
development.

• Children begin the process of

acquiring gender-appropriate behavior.
 Differentiates self from objects
Sensori-motor
(Birth-2 yrs) Recognizes self as agent of action and
begins to act intentionally.

Learns to use language and to represent

Pre-operational objects by images and words.
(2-7 years)
Can think logically about objects and events
Concrete
operational Classifies objects according to several
features and can order them in series along
(7-11 years) a single dimension such as size.

Becomes concerned with the hypothetical,

Formal operational the future, and ideological problems
(11 years and up)
 Gender Schema Theory
-helps a child to develop gender identity
& formulate an appropriate gender role.
•Schema
- is a mental blueprint for organizing
information, and children develop and
formulate an appropriate gender.
What is Gender Stereotyping?
•Gender Stereotyping
-is defined as the beliefs humans hold
about the characteristics associated with
males and females.
Problems in Gender Stereotyping
• When characteristics associated with a
particular gender have a negative image.

• When a unique individual is assumed to

have all the characteristics associated
with his/her gender.
Gender and Equality
Gender Equality
-between women and men is a
worthy goal that is central to
progress in human development.
•“The Creation of Patriarchy” by Gerda
Lerner
-gender is the “costume, a mask, a
straitjacket in which men & women dance
their unequal dance.”
•“The Gender Question” by Alan Wolfe
-”of all the ways that one rooted than the
way men have subordinated women.”
Gender Inequality
4 themes characterize feminist theorizing of
gender inequality:
• Men & Women are situated in society unequally.
• Organization of society.
• No significant pattern of natural variation
distinguishes the sexes.
• All inequality theories assume fairly easily &
naturally to more egalitarian social structures.
Gender and Power
•Gender -refers to the different ways men &
women play in society, & to the relative
power they wield.
•Power -is a basic fabric of society & is
possessed in varying degrees by social
actors in diverse social categories.
•“Essays in Sociology” by Max
Weber
-he defined power as the likelihood a
person may achieve personal ends
despite possible resistance from
others.
Determinants of power
•Status resources
•Experience
•Self-confidence
Gender and Education
•Investing in Education is seen as one of
the fundamental ways in which nation
states and their citizens can move
toward long-term development goals
and improve both social and economic
standards of living.