Learning, Knowledge and Human Development MOOC’s Updates

Peer Review Assignment #3

Bandura's social learning theory highlights the process of: observing, modeling, and imitating behaviors. It is evident that he stands in opposition of Skinner's Behaviorism theory as it is evident cognitive development occurs through social interaction and engagement with external environments. A question that came up for me regarding Bandura's theory however, is how would he account for children and or adults who exist outside of established gender roles/norms (i.e. children that identify as trans or nonbinary), specifically those that came from a cis-gender heterosexual two parent household?

If what's being modeled in the household are traditional hetero-traits and assigned gender roles for a man and woman, how do internal feelings/motivations override external environments and the "social mind"?

The authors of "The Gendered Family Process Model: An Integrative Framework of Gender in the Family" seem to suggest that the answer to this question is three fold and involved biological, social, and cognitive factors. Per the article the GFP model in based on family system theories that involve are 3 factors and the family is viewed as a whole. The article goes on to describe the importance of the family system by saying, "With a family systems approach, it is possible to connect different theoretical perspectives on gender development that complement each other, especially when we view biological, social, and cognitive factors as subsystems within each family member, that together comprise the larger family system."

Aside from the family system there is also discussion regarding the link between child biology and child behavior around the presence of hormones specifically testosterone and estrogen levels during pre and post natal periods. Genetics are also emerging as a possible effect on gender development although much more difficult to study and research.

References:

McLeod, S. A. (2016, Febuary 05). Bandura - social learning theory. Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/bandura.html

Endendijk JJ, Groeneveld MG, Mesman J. The Gendered Family Process Model: An Integrative Framework of Gender in the Family. Arch Sex Behav. 2018 May;47(4):877-904. doi: 10.1007/s10508-018-1185-8. Epub 2018 Mar 16. PMID: 29549542; PMCID: PMC5891573.