Stalking the Elusive Schema: Insights from Developmental and Social-Psychological Analyses of Gender Schemas

Abstract

Research investigating the processing of gender-related information is examined by means of an integration across social-psychological and developmental literatures. First, social-psychological and developmental approaches to schemas in general, and to gender schemas in particular, are briefly summarized. Studies examining the effects of gender schemas on memory and information processing are then reviewed. Across both literatures, the findings of most studies suggest that gender-consistent information, however operationalized, is remembered better and processed more efficiently than gender-inconsistent information. Results are more mixed with respect to effects of variations in schema strength, defined as individual differences in sex stereotyping or sex typing. Next, effects of variations in schema strength are examined in terms of developmental differences in gender constancy and age. Because different measures of schema strength show different effects across age levels, it is suggested that two different aspects of schemas (knowledge and importance) may contribute differentially to different measures. Finally, the findings are discussed in terms of (1) underlying mechanisms, (2) implications for the social schema literature more generally, and (3) implications for social stereotyping.