When we say to a little boy, "look how strong you are," and we say to a little girl, "your dress is so pretty," we are interacti
ng based on categories we have deeply engrained related to masculinity and femininity. what theory attributes much of our gender role development to these ways of thinking? dirty 230?
The theory of Symbolic Interactionism, developed by George Herbert Mead, argues that communication during interactions is how we learn social cues. Although the theory was not specifically designed for gender development, it is a relevant contribution to the field.
When we react in certain ways and communicate children our happiness or frustration due to their behaviour, girls and boys learn what characteristics belong to each gender in a particular society. Through the use of symbols, which in this case would be the words we use, and through our interactions with them, their gender identity develops.
