ERIC Number: EJ1094617
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Mar
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1381-2890
EISSN: N/A
What Can Boys and Girls Do? Preschoolers' Perspectives Regarding Gender Roles across Domains of Behavior
Baker, Erin R.; Tisak, Marie S.; Tisak, John
Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, v19 n1 p23-39 Mar 2016
Previous research has examined at what age and in what contexts males and females develop gender-congruent stereotypes. Research indicates that social experience may provide a great influence on the presence of such stereotypes, but this is likely influenced by the development of gender schemas. The current study interviewed 99 children (3-6.5 years) in a sub-rural Midwestern university community. Females (N = 51, M[subscript age] = 4.6, SD = 0.73) and males (N = 48, M[subscript age] = 4.6, SD = 0.82) were individually asked who--boys, girls, or both--can do particular (1) occupations, (2) activities, (3) aggressive behaviors, and (4) prosocial behaviors. Generally, males tended to express holding no stereotypic beliefs, indicating gender-congruent expectations for only 2 items in one of the domains; however, females expressed multiple stereotypic beliefs for each of the four contexts. Social and cognitive explanations for these phenomena are discussed. The current study is an important addition to the existing literature in that preschool teachers and parents alike might be able to assist children to better develop activities and behavioral habits such that gender-related stereotypes fail to develop.
Descriptors: Preschool Children, Student Attitudes, Sex Role, Interviews, Stereotypes, Gender Differences, Beliefs, Social Cognition, Aggression, Prosocial Behavior, Occupations, Activities, Bias
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A