POL SCI 164A Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Penis Envy, Penis Removal, Social Learning Theory

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PS164A Reading
Gender Stereotypes on Socialization and Agents
CH 7 Socialization Theories and Agents
Basow
- Some combination of existing theories needed to account for the complex
interactions among biological factors, learning environment, and level of
cognitive development o the child
- Psychoanalytic
- Importance of biological factors (anatomy) and parental identification
- View same sex parents as responsible for absence of penis (girls) or able
to remove the penis (boys)
- So, identify with the aggressor to allay the anxiety
- Fear of penis removal stronger for males than femlae penis envy > so
male gender identity stronger and strong sex typed behavior
- Little emp support
- Conclusion: this theory does not completely account for the development
of an individual’s gender identity
- Social Learning
- Views gender identity as product of various forms of learning through
rewards/ punishments, differential treatment, observational learning and
modeling
- Children tend to model after same sex parent and learn gender
appropriate behavior through observing
- Because powerful, nurturant, and similar models most likely to be
imitated
- Males are viewed by children as more powerful and strong and
may be particularly important models for young children
- Gender identity formed is stable and starts early (behavior shaped to
accord with gender roles)
- Boys have more difficult time than girls in establishing gender identity
(because father is frequently absent from home) and forced to develop
more abstract identification with the male role
- Hence, greater attachment to culturally defined masculine role
- Insufficient explanation
- View child as relatively passive in learning process
- Research on direct reinforcement has been ambiguous
- Exception: boys subject to more intense socialization
pressures than girls
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Document Summary

Some combination of existing theories needed to account for the complex interactions among biological factors, learning environment, and level of cognitive development o the child. Importance of biological factors (anatomy) and parental identification. View same sex parents as responsible for absence of penis (girls) or able to remove the penis (boys) So, identify with the aggressor to allay the anxiety. Fear of penis removal stronger for males than femlae penis envy > so male gender identity stronger and strong sex typed behavior. Conclusion: this theory does not completely account for the development of an individual"s gender identity. Views gender identity as product of various forms of learning through rewards/ punishments, differential treatment, observational learning and modeling. Children tend to model after same sex parent and learn gender appropriate behavior through observing. Because powerful, nurturant, and similar models most likely to be imitated.

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