How children become gendered adults

How sisterren break sexual practiceed adultsAt birth we argon identified as male / effeminate by means of biological factors, whereas our sexual urgeed identity element is produced through how female /male we feel, and our sexual practiceed utilisation is nurtured through our cultural environment and neighborly beliefs. The nature side of the turn suggests that our sex is decided at the aforementioned(prenominal) time as our sex, and our demeanour differences are instinctive and have helped us survive. The differences are mostly effect down to the way our bodies and brains differ. Our chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs put us in one sexual practice category. However it does not explain how there is polar sex activity portions across different cultures hence ignores how sex roles could be learnt. conjure helps explain our development within our cultured environment, and life experiences prepare us for our gendered adulthood.Environmental theories hig hlight how culture affects the several(prenominal), social knowledge theorists suggest that our gender is learnt, and challenges the nature point of view that it is innate. When we are born our sexual organs decide what gender we are, and our parents and culture influence our gender identity through learnt deportments. Males and females are treated differently from birth parents are powerful role models in the early years and expectations of entrance behaviour for the churls gender mint be rewarded or punished, thus a child will be more likely to repeat the rewarded behaviour which helps reinforce what is considered acceptable behaviour for the childs gender. As a child develops and grows they gain an understanding of gendered behaviours through their social environment, developing an understanding of gender identity. They learn to identify violateicular behaviours appropriate to their gender and will model and imitate through reinforcement, association with same sex parent, and same sex models, and it is ongoing throughout their childhood and on into adolescence. (Smith 2002)Criticisms to this are that when a baby is born the way it is treated by adults is influenced by its sex. A study make by Will, Self and Datan in 1976 shows that when the same baby is dressed in blue/ pink adults run differently to it. Children tend to model their behaviour on the same sex parent and learn what is most appropriate for their gender, leading to praise which reinforces their identity, they rear end also imitate their same sex models behaviour through tactics and toys. In todays society children are often raised by one-parent families and this possibleness does not allow for the fact that these children may be being brought up by a different sex model yet unchanging continue to behave in their gendered role through dress and hike of appropriate/ behaviour regardless of having anyone to model it on. It tooshie be criticised for placing in any case much widenes s on affairicular models behavioural influences and losing site of the childs individual personality by portraying children as a passive part of the process and ignores individual motivation and self-regulationCognitive development was developed by Piaget believing that our gender identity develops first and then children pay management to same sex role models. Kohlberg went on to suggest there are three main stages to gender identity that children go through gender identity (up to three years) where the child can identify their sex tho are not conscious(predicate) that it is fixed and cannot change. Gender stability, (three five years) where the child is aware that their gender is fixed but still make assumptions of peoples gender by clothes and hairstyles. Gender constancy (six years onwards) where the child is aware of their gender regardless of peoples appearance. (Stainton Rogers, 2001). When gender constancy is reached Kohlberg believes that children pass through cognitiv e development stages and acquire gender related behaviours by developing gender identity. Although cross cultural studies support the Kohlbergs stages through this theory children can set forth themselves as boys or girls and know how to choose gender associated toys and activities before they can relate to gender sexual differences. It supports that gender recognition happens before gender identity becomes fixed. Weakness of this theory suggests that it solely takes stages of development into account, placing little importance on the role of biology, emotion, social environment or culture. It also does not account as to why masculinity and femininity are cute by society differently. (Haralambos.M, 2002) Sandra Benn says that it fails to explain why sex has dominance opposite potential categories such as race, religion and eye colour. (Stainton Rogers, 2001)In finding one thing both theories have in common is that they bank on observation and identification children have with m embers of the same sex. The differences Kohlberg believed that as a result of three stages of gender identity a child goes through, the child develops a gender recognition through cognitive understanding to his/her gender and gender roles. Bandura social learning theory suggested that childrens gender identity was done through socialization rather than biology and that childrens behaviour is seen to be larn from their society through process of reinforcement and modelling. Gendered behaviours can be knowledgeable through reinforcement and we are more likely to copy behaviour if we have seen others rewarded for that same behaviour. .I believe that both social learning theorist and cognitive development theorists oversimplify gender identity, although both hold that society and culture have some influence over gender identity, it is difficult to accurately assume that the role of socialisation alone produces gender identity as they do not take in to considerateness the biological factors of chromosomes, hormones and sexual organs in the development of gender identity or roles. Both biology and socialization play a part in our understanding of our gendered identities and roles in our cultures.(973 words)Works CitedHaralambos.M, R. F. 2002. Psychology in center on for A Level . Lancashire Causeway Press.Maccoby. E.E, J. C. 1974. The Psychology of Sex Differences, (as reported in various commentaries). Stanford Stanford University Press.Stainton Rogers, R. R. 2001. the Psychology of Gender and Sexuality. Berkshire Open University Press.Unkown. 2007. About Gender. Retrieved January 3, 2010, from www.gender.org.uk http//www.gender.org.uk/about/index.htmpsychotic person