ERIC Number: EJ769848
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007
Pages: 16
Abstractor: Author
Reference Count: 41
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-3920
The Role of Gender Constancy in Early Gender Development
Ruble, Diane N.; Taylor, Lisa J.; Cyphers, Lisa; Greulich, Faith K.; Lurye, Leah E.; Shrout, Patrick E.
Child Development, v78 n4 p1121-1136 Jul-Aug 2007
Kohlberg's (1966) hypothesis that the attainment of gender constancy motivates children to attend to gender norms was reevaluated by examining these links in relation to age. Ninety-four 3- to 7-year-old children were interviewed to assess whether and how constancy mediates age-related changes in gender-related beliefs. As expected, results indicated a general pattern of an increase in stereotype knowledge, the importance and positive evaluation of one's own gender category, and rigidity of beliefs between the ages of 3 and 5. Moreover, the stability phase, rather than full constancy, mediated some of these relations. After age 5, rigidity generally decreased with age, with relations primarily mediated by consistency.
Descriptors: Sexual Identity, Childhood Attitudes, Social Behavior, Child Development, Children, Age Differences, Beliefs, Developmental Stages, Sex Stereotypes, Hypothesis Testing, Interviews, Self Concept
Blackwell Publishing. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8599; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: customerservices@blackwellpublishing.com; Web site: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/jnl_default.asp
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: N/A

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