Gender Schema Theory Essay Plan

[A01]

Martin and Halverson (1981) developed this cognitive approach in which a child seeks to acquire information about their gender.

It explains how schemas influence memory and attention, which then affect behaviour.

Schemas are mental representations of concepts. Children learn gender schemas at about age 3 and they relate to cultural norms, and appropriate behaviour for the separate genders.

Children identify with and actively seek information from their ingroup to acquire their gender schemas. They also acquire them from interaction with other children, adults and the media.

Children ignore information that is inconsistent with their gender schema, so actively avoid outgroup behaviours.

[A03]

Research supports gender schemas forming before gender stability is reached

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