Final answer:
Children construct cognitive 'theories' about themselves known as social self-concepts, which include gender roles, learned through the process of socialization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The cognitive "theories" that children construct about themselves to help them understand how they should behave are called social self-concepts. This term refers to the way children view themselves within the social context, which includes understanding how they fit into the various roles that society has constructed.
A key part of this involves gender roles, which are expectations based on norms set by society for masculine and feminine behaviors.
Children learn and understand gender roles through socialization. They become aware of societal expectations for boys and girls from a very young age.
These expectations are often reinforced by four major agents: family, education, peer groups, and mass media. Males and females are often stratified into narrowly prescribed roles, which reinforce the gender binary and can lead to gender inequality.
For example, riding a motorcycle might be considered a masculine activity, thus falling under male gender roles, based on societal stereotypes.
Gender stereotyping can lead to overgeneralizing about the behaviors and attributes of men and women and is the basis of sexism. Understanding these concepts is essential in examining how individuals interact with and are influenced by society's norms.