Explain parental imperative theory. What are its criticisms?

What will be an ideal response?

Gender identity in midlife becomes more androgynous—a mixture of "masculine" and "feminine" characteristics. Although the existence of these changes is well-accepted, explanations for them are controversial. A well-known evolutionary view, parental imperative theory, holds that identification with traditional gender roles is maintained during the active parenting years to help ensure the survival of children. Men become more goal-oriented, while women emphasize nurturance. After children reach adulthood, parents are free to express the "other-gender" side of their personalities. But this biological account has been criticized. Parents need both warmth and assertiveness (in the form of firmness and consistency) to rear children effectively. And although children's departure from the home is related to men's openness to the "feminine" side of their personalities, the link to a rise in "masculine" traits among women is less apparent. College-educated women in the labor force become more independent by their early forties, regardless of whether they have children; those who were homemakers do not. Women attaining high status at work gain most in dominance, assertiveness, and outspokenness by their early fifties. Furthermore, cohort effects can contribute to this trend: Middle-aged women of the baby-boom generation—who experienced new career opportunities as a result of the women's movement—more often describe themselves as having masculine and androgynous traits than do older women. Androgyny in midlife results from a complex combination of social roles and life conditions.