While gender is often thought of as a topic reserved for adolescence or adulthood,
research asserts that a child’s gender identity may develop within the first two years of
life. As social and academic conversations about gender continue to move beyond the
binary, many developmental scientists are confronted with the fact that theories of
gender development often present divergent or competing explanations of how, when
and why gender develops. Regardless, parents, educators, and health professionals
alike want to ensure informed, inclusive and safe developmental spaces are afforded
to all children, regardless of their gender.
TASK
· You are contacted by Australian Psychologist and asked to write an essay that:
- · Presents two theories of gender development. You can choose any two relevant theories of gender development to present.
- · You must rely on empirical evidence (empirical evidence refers strictly only on primary sources.) to support the theory’s practical application (Preferrably, the two articles should be contrasting each other to make the discussion not one sided). For instance, you can find an article reinforcing Piaget development theory and another against this theory.
- · Draw a conclusion on which of the two theories best explains gender development
