ABSTRACT
Theories of gender address individual gender identity development, adoption of gender roles, and development of social and cultural ideology about gender. Biological explanations focus on genetic and physiological processes in developing gender identity, and links between hormones and gendered behaviors. Social learning and social cognitive approaches emphasize learning of gender roles and identity through observation and modeling of others’ behaviors, especially important models of feminine and masculine behavior (parents). Cognitive development theories focus on gender identity as a developmental achievement and the recognition of one’s gender. Gender schema theory emphasizes development of mental knowledge structures representing gender and use of those structures in processing social information. Social role theory is a biosocial approach linking differences in reproductive roles and physicality between women and men to division of labor. Parental investment is an evolutionary approach that predicts gender differences in aggressive and sexual behavior based on sex differences in reproduction and differential investment in offspring. Social dominance theory asserts that societies exist in hierarchies, with people at the top enjoying greater societal resources and benefits, and people at the bottom suffering societal shortcomings. Feminist approaches focus on how mothers and their powerful presence in infancy affect gender identity development.
