This essay concerns the development of gender role identification and the theories that have been considered most influential in explaining the process. One theoretical approach to identifying gender roles is social learning theory. . Bandura (1973) pioneered work on gender development. Social learning theory argues that gender roles are strongly determined by environmental factors (Bandura, 1986; Bandura and Bussey, 2004; Bussey and Bandura, 1999 in Brannon, L. 2008) and that, more importantly, they are learned. One way in which children can achieve targeted gender roles is through operant conditioning (in Brannon, L. 2008). Skinner (1970, in Brannon, L. 2008) emphasized the importance of reinforcement and punishment in children. For example, if a child finds that behaving in a certain way, such as a boy playing with toy cars, receives approval from his parents, he is more likely to repeat that behavior. However, if a girl jumps or behaves erratically, she will receive disapproval from her parents and therefore will not repeat this behavior (in Brannon, L. 2008). Many studies have demonstrated and partially blamed parents for their gender-stereotyped behavior. According to Wood, Desmaratis and Gugula (2002 in Brannon, L 2008), parents encourage and provide toys associated with the child's gender and therefore treat children differently. A study on the effects of differential treatment between boys and girls comes from Fagot (1978, in Smith, PK, Cowie, H & Blades, M. 2003). Fagot (1978) found that boys and girls received reinforcement and punishment for different behaviors. For example, girls were discouraged from screaming, jumping and reinforced...... middle of paper ...... highlights the crucial role of schemas. Gender script theory, however, explains a child's gender development in terms of actions performed in a sequential form. All the theories discussed above have been found to be useful in explaining gender role identification and, therefore, one cannot be considered superior to the other. , social learning theory and cognitive development theory seem to be the most compatible.ReferencesShiraev, E., & Levy, D. (2007, 2004). Cross-Cultural Psychology (3rd ed.) United States of America. John, W. Berry, Ype H. Poortinga, Marshall, H. Segall, Pierre R. Dasen (2002). Cross-Cultural Psychology: Research and Applications (2nd ed.) United States of America, New York. Smith, EE and Kosslyn, SM (2009). Cognitive psychology: Mind and brain. New Jersey: Pearson Education