Social influences on gender

Bandura 

• renamed SLT as social cognitive theory to emphasis the role of cognitive factors
• gender role development is the result of learning and reinforcement. 

• reinforce gender appropriate behaviour but not gender inappropriate behaviour. 

Idle - father's react negatively to son's feminine behaviours.

Fagot et al - parents who differentially reinforce gender behaviour have children who are quickest to develop strong gender preferences. 

• provide gender specific models and reinforce gender behaviour

Perry and Bussey - boys and girls select toys they previously saw same gender children selecting.

Lamb - 'punish' gender inappropriate behaviour, direct intuition - 'don't be a cissy'

• communicate cultural stereotypes

Bussey and Bandura

males - independant and directive

females - unambitious and emotional

McGhee and Frueh - those who watch more tv display more gender stereotypic role conceptions

Smith and Lloyd -

• observed mothers playing with an infant either presented as a boy or girl (based on name or clothing)
• mothers selected gender appropriate toys
• responded more actively when a 'boy' showed increased motor activity.

Lamb and Roopnarine -

• male typed behaviour was reinforced in girls the behaviour continued for a shorter time than when male typed behaviour was reinforced in boys.
  
  • peer reinforcement acts as a reminder of what is gender appropriate behaviour. 

Williams

• children with no tv had weaker gender stereotypes
• after exposure to tv their views became more stereotypical. 
  • media reinforces stereotypes

• pressure on program makers to use media to alter gender stereotypes
• Pingree - stereotyping was reduced when shown commercials with women in non traiditional gender roles
  • pre adolescent boys held stronger stereotypes after exposure to non traditional models.

• Bandura - did not deny the role of biological factors in social learning
• starting point for social learning was knowing what sex you are - based on biology and gender identification at birth.

Martin et al

• pre-school boys played with toys labelled 'boys' toys even after seeing girls playing with them, but did not play with 'girls' toys even after seen boys play with them. 
  • did not model same sex behaviour when it was counter to direct tuition