Home > Encyclopedia of Psychology > Gender Constancy

A child's realization that gender is fixed and does not change over time.

The concept of gender constancy, influenced by the cognitive development theory of Jean Piaget, was introduced by Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-1987). Addressing the formation of gender identity in terms of cognitive development, Kohlberg advanced the idea that the development of sex roles depends in large part on a child's understanding that gender remains constant throughout a person's lifetime. Children realize that they are male or female...