Early childhood psychosocial development Psychology

The minor theories of development disagree about the origins of gender roles and stereotypes. Two of the theories (psychoanalytic and epigenetic) emphasize the power of genetic and biological forces on development. The remaining three theories (behaviorism, cognitive theory, and sociocultural theory) emphasize the pervasive influence of family and culture in children's learning of gender patterns.

In this exercise evaluate the evidence relative to the following question: Is gender development the result of biological forces or cultural learning? First decide whether each of the three research findings listed below more directly provides evidence in support of the biological argument or the culture-learning argument, and explain your reasoning.

Then, use the same research to develop a counterargument that supports the other side of the controversy. Provide the counterargument as responses to your classmates posts.

1. There are more male than female engineers, physicists, and airplane pilots.

Argument Supported: Counter Argument:

2. Girls tend to play in small groups, with one or two friends, while boys tend to play in larger, less intimate groups.

Argument Supported: Counter Argument:

3. In their play, 5-year olds aspire to sex-linked occupations even if their parents' behavior tends to counter such stereotyping.

Argument Supported: Counter Argument:

Early Childhood Psychosocial Development

The theories of psychoanalytic and epigenetic supports the fact  that genetics play a more crucial role in psychosocial development than the rest of the theories that support the idea that children learn to be gender stereotyped through the families and the society. There is a common observation that there are more male engineers, physicist and pilots than females. This is due to the genetic make-up and biological development that make male brain to understand and pursue those careers.  Some researchers attribute this to the small corpus colossum connecting the two hemispheres of the brain. This makes men to be able to concentrate more in one thing at a time. This makes them to excel in careers that require more concentration (Anselmo, 1987).

On the other hand, this observation can occur due to societies’ biasness that requires Boys to pursue careers that are seen to be more masculine in their nature. For this reason, every society does not allow man to have freedom to choose other careers. The societies’ perspective also discourages girls from taking these careers that are considered masculine.

Girls play in small groups often with one or two friends while boys play in large and less intimate groups. The genetic and biological makeup of girls is that they are more emotional and develop emotional attachment fast. Boys on the other hand are less emotional and pick friend for the present need (Bond, Joffe, & Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology, 1982). If it’s a game, they pick all the people they need without considering anything else. On the other hand, this cannot be said to be strictly biological or genetic. It is possible that girls learn this from other girls in the society and so do the boys.

Five year old children are seen to choose sex linked occupation even when their parents support the opposite.  This is probably the biggest expression of genetics at work. Biology directs what a person grows to be. Others claim that this does not happen in all children. It is also possible that these children learn this from other people apart from their parents.

Reference

Bond, L. A., Joffe, J. M., & Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology.

(1982). Facilitating infant and early childhood development. Hanover, NH: Published for the Vermont Conference on the Primary Prevention of Psychopathology by University Press of New England.

Anselmo, S. (1987). Early childhood development: Prenatal through age eight. Columbus:

            Merrill Pub. Co.