The objectives of this study were to investigate (1) whether prior opinions concerning a child's sex influence the qualities attributed to the child; (2) whether differences exist in the responses of male and female raters; and (3) the effect of forced-choice responses vis-a-vis non-forced responses. An 8-minute videotape of a 22-month-old infant was shown to 464 medical, nursing, and psychology students. One third of the subjects were told that the child was female, one third were told the child was male, and one third were told the child was hermaphrodite (neutral). While viewing the videotape, one group of subjects scored the infant's activities as masculine or feminine (forced choice). Another group of subjects scored the infant's activities as masculine, feminine or neutral (non-forced choice). After viewing the videotape, all subjects rated the infant on eight descriptive variables: passive, active, dependent, self-confident, secure, adventurous, and normal. Results indicated that health professionals' attributions were affected by information concerning a child's sex. This effect was the same for male and female viewers in the forced-choice situation. In the non-forced-choice situation, females were more unwilling than males to accept the hermaphrodite status but were more likely to give neutral ratings when sex was stipulated. Ratings of descriptive variables also revealed stereotyped responses to sexual stipulation which differed for male and female viewers. (CB)