An Overview of Gender Constancy
This theory is over 50 years old and originates from the work of American psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg. As simple as the theory sounds, however, it's not a simple concept in the least—which is why research on gender development has continued to this day.
It's also true that the theory of gender constancy was developed at a different time in history, and doesn't reflect current social norms as far as what is acceptable or what children should be taught as they grow and learn. For example, the theory does not account for individuals who identify as transgender, nonbinary, or gender fluid.
So, as you read through the theory and its different components, keep in mind that it is a theory that was based on the work of Piaget about cognitive development, and doesn't take into account any research, theory, or social transitions that have happened in the 50+ years since.
Definition of Gender Constancy
The concept of gender constancy refers to a cognitive stage of development of children at which they come to understand that their gender (meaning their biological sex) is fixed and cannot change over time.
This theory proposed by Kohlberg had its roots in the cognitive development theory of French psychologist Jean Piaget and was first proposed in 1966. Kohlberg argued that the most important aspect of gender identity development was the cognitive development of the child.
Modern Thought
While the gender constancy theory states that biological sex is fixed and cannot change over time, we now know that there should be a broader interpretation of sex and gender that was once theorized. In addition, children should always be taught that self-acceptance is most important.
Kohlberg's Theory of Gender Development
To understand Kohlberg's theory, it is first important to understand the concept of a "schema" in terms of cognitive development. A schema is a conceptual pattern held in the mind through which children make sense of the world, and in this case, their gender.
A gender schema model proposes that children develop their gender identity through internal motivation to conform to what society expects based on their biological sex. However, Kohlberg argued that this motivation was first dependent on the child passing through a number of stages of cognitive development.
While the gender schema model proposes that children have an internal motivation to conform, it's important to note that with changing gender norms and changing expectations of society, internal motivation may also shift. Regardless, children should never be forced to conform to a gender role that makes them uncomfortable.
This pattern of cognitive development was seen to take place between the ages of two and seven years old, during which time children grow to understand that their sex cannot be changed.
Once children reach this stage of development, Kohlberg argued that they would be motivated to watch how they were expected to behave and act in accordance with that gender role.
In this way, Kohlberg maintained that children would not develop an understanding of gender roles until they had learned that sex remains constant throughout life.
Source: https://www.verywellmind.com/an-overview-of-gender-constancy-4688620
