Human differentiation on the basis of gender is a fundamental phenomenon that affects virtually every aspect of peoples daily lives. Gender roles are fostered through rewards and punishments they experience for gender appropriate and gender inappropriate behavior. Pdf social cognitive theory of gender development and. This perspective was proposed by bandura after his famous bobo doll experiments. The cognitive approach explanation for gender differences. It specifies how gender conceptions are constructed from the complex mix of experiences and how they operate in concert with motivational and selfregulatory mechanisms. Theoretical perspectives on gender and development pdf source. Social cognitive theory of gender developmental standards. It specifies how gender conceptions are constructed from the complex mix of experi. Theoretical perspectives on gender and development pdf. This general concept can apply to gender differences and result in a convincing argument for how we acquire gender differences.
Social cognitive theory is a learning theory developed by the renowned stanford psychology professor albert bandura. The theory provides a framework for understanding how people actively shape and are shaped by their environment. The social cognitive perspective states that behavior is influenced by the interaction between peoples traits and thinking and also their social environment and context. The cognitive approach deals with the mind as if it was a computer we process information and develop in rigid and set ways. This notion was first set out at the same time as the early social learning approaches to gender development. Information about gender is organized into sets of beliefs about. The theory proposes the interaction of mental schema and social experience in directing gender role behavior. The book that contained mischels 1966 account of the social learning approach to gender development also included lawrence kohlbergs 1966 equally significant report on his cognitive developmental theory. This article presents the social cognitive theory of gender role development and functioning. Cognition and gender development openlearn open university.