Social Learning Theory for Gender Development Essay Plan

[AO1]

Bandura- explained that we learn indirectly from other people (models) by observing and imitating their behaviour.

Gender role development is the result of learning from social agents who model and reinforce gender role behaviours.

Indirect reinforcement

Children observe the gender behaviour of others from home, school and the media. They learn from the consequences whether the behaviour is worth repeating (vicarious reinforcement). Children are more likely to identify with and imitate the behaviour of their own gender (e.g. boys watch their father mow the lawn).

The role of mediational process

Bandura- called SLT a social cognitive theory. Children store information about reinforcements as mental representations which create an expectancy for future outcomes. They will display the behaviour if the expected reward outweighs the expected punishment.

Direct reinforcement

Reinforcement of gender behaviour increase the likelihood that the child will repeat it (e.g. a girl gets praised for cleaning so they will do it more).

Direct tuition

When children acquire language skills they learn appropriate behaviour…