Social Cognitive Theory of gender development and functioning Essay

Social Cognitive Theory of gender development and functioning - Essay Example Though there are both positive and negative effects of classification through gender, it can be considered as the main basis in the segregation needed in different aspects of life (p. 92). Gender differentiation is another influential concept that has effects on the social functions and roles of a person. This can be attributed to the fact that the society often presents a double standard on the genders resulting to prejudice on the basis of being male or being female. The stereotypical notion, that males are stronger, more capable and have higher status, can be considered as the effect of such view. Although gender differences can evidently be based on the physical attributes, it is the socio-cultural aspect which can greatly affect the development of a person (p. 92-93). There are different theories through the course of history include the Freudian psychoanalytic theories, Kohlberg’s cognitive theory, the gender schema theory and the social and biological theories (p. 93). The study undertaken is focused on the discussion of the Social Cognitive theory which constitutes different aspects namely biological, cognitive and social. The said theory can be considered to have the important applications in the different scenarios in the society due to its recognition the complex interaction of functions that can constitute the gender development of a person. In terms of the basic point of view of the theory, it can be considered as a synergy of the concepts of personal, behavioral and environmental theories which include the different interactions between the said factors can be considered as the main strength of the Social Cognitive Theory (p. 94). It can be analyzed that from the main cause and origin of the said theory, the cognition and the analysis of the different issues and concerns within the social realm is the main