Differentiate between the concepts of gender identity, gender constancy, gender role, and gender stereotype. Illustrate your answer with specific examples where appropriate.

What will be an ideal response?

(1) Gender identity refers to your subjective sense of being male or female. Children develop a sense of their gender identity around age two or three. At this age, they will use gender labels for themselves and others. (2) Gender constancy occurs around ages three to four, and is when children develop a sense that their own gender is fixed and cannot be changed. In this situation, a child would recognize that just because a boy puts on a dress, it doesn't mean he is now a girl. (3) Gender roles refer to behaviors and attitudes that a particular culture considers normal and appropriate for either males or females. An example might be how, in U.S. culture, men are expected to be tough, aggressive, and not to cry, while women are expected to be emotional, nurturing, and caretaking. These roles are generally culturally specific.
(4) Gender stereotypes occur when you assume that all people of one gender share the same qualities, without regard to their individual differences. Examples might include how we expect a doctor to be male and a nurse to be female, or a firefighter to be male and an administrative assistant to be female.