Nancy Chodorow
Definition
Nancy Chodorow is a feminist sociologist and psychoanalyst who proposed theories on the reproduction of mothering and gender development, emphasizing the importance of early relationships with mothers.
Analogy
Think of Nancy Chodorow as a gardener who believes that how you water, nurture, and care for a plant (child) in its early stages will significantly affect how it grows and develops (gender identity).
Related terms
Object Relations Theory: This psychological theory suggests that the way people relate to others and situations in their adult lives is shaped by family experiences during infancy.
Reproduction of Mothering: This is Chodorow's theory suggesting that women tend to replicate the caring behaviors they experienced from their own mothers in their roles as mothers.
Gender Identity: This term refers to one's innermost concept of self as male or female or both or neither—how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves.
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