Social learning and gender schema theories study the origins of differences related to gender. They present various theoretical constructions, explaining how sex-related cognitive development and social behavior influence people’s understandings of gender roles and apply different terminology. However, social learning theory and gender schema theory also share similar features showing the crucial role of cultural perceptions and upbringing.
Gender schema theory is similar to social learning theory because it merges its elements with cognitive development theory. Both stated approaches confirm the value of culture and imitation in the process of gender development (Helgeson, 2017). Hence, the stated two theories suggest that children will also behave differently with the changes in role models and cultural norms (Helgeson, 2017). Social learning theory and gender schema theory share similar views, aiming to show how the social environment contributes to sex differences and predict the process of learning.
The differences in theories are connected with various theoretical assumptions of the gender-related development process and their terminological apparatus. First, two theories vary in their definition of the gender development process starting and finishing points: when social learning theory states that it continues from infantry till adulthood, gender schema theory emphasizes preschool and late childhood years (Brannon, 2017). In addition, social learning theory claims that children adopt gender roles following their social environment models’ behavioral patterns, and behavior could be reinforced by positive or negative responses (Helgeson, 2017).
Social learning theory also states that children are more likely to imitate the typical patterns of gender-related behavior and prefer the models obtaining the position of power. Gender schema theory assumes that some people, when performing their gender roles rely on schemas – categories guiding the behavior by dividing the world into feminine and masculine dimensions (Helgeson, 2017). Gender schema theory uses the construct of androgyny to describe gender aschematic. The theory suggests that there should be more than two categories for sex, derived from potential combinations of a gender role, sex, and orientation.
In conclusion, social learning theory and gender schema theory, studying the same subject, provide their perceptions of gender-role development. The stated approaches put the culture and society norms at their core and could serve as powerful tools in behavioral prediction. Still, social learning theory and gender schema theory rely on various constructions of the behavioral learning process and explain it through their specialized concepts.
References
Brannon, L. (2017). Gender: Psychological perspectives (7th ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.
Helgeson, V. S. (2017). Psychology of gender (5th ed.). Taylor & Francis Group.