Social cognitive theory of gender development and functioning

In this chapter, we address the psychosocial determinants and mechanisms by which society socializes male and female infants into masculine and feminine adults. Gender development is a fundamental issue, because some of the most important aspects of people's lives, such as the talents they cultivate, the conceptions they hold of themselves and others, the societal opportunities and constraints they encounter, and the social life and occupational paths they pursue, are heavily prescribed by societal gender typing. It is the primary basis on which people get differentiated, with pervasive effects on their daily lives.