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CHILDREN'S SEX-TRAIT AND SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPES: DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIP TO PARENTS' STEREOTYPES
Abstract
This study investigated developmental and family influences on children's sex-trait and sex-role stereotypes. Based on theoretical and empirical literatures, it was hypothesized that fourth grade children would express less stereotyped attitudes than first grade children and that their attitudes would more closely resemble their parents' attitudes. In addition, it was hypothesized that males would be more stereotyped than females and that maternal employment and family composition would be related to stereotyping. Subjects were recruited from elementary schools in a middle-class, suburban school district. Fifty boys and 50 girls at first and fourth grades and their parents were administered measures of sex stereotyping. Children were interviewed individually at school; parents completed materials at home. Sex-role stereotypes were measured by occupational aspiration questions and by an instrument composed of 7 male-dominated jobs, 7 female-dominated jobs, and 7 neutral jobs. Subjects were allowed several response options including an egalitarian one. Sex-trait stereotypes were measured by an instrument that allowed subjects to judge traits as characteristic of men only, women only, or both. The results supported several of the hypotheses. Older children expressed less stereotyped attitudes than younger children on all measures, and older girls were less traditional in their aspirations than older boys. Men were more stereotyped than women except in their aspirations for their children. Mothers and fathers were traditional in their aspirations for sons but nontraditional in their aspirations for daughters. Fourth grade children's sex stereotypes more closely resembled parents' stereotypes than first grade children. A strong relationship was found between the stereotypes of fourth grade girls and their fathers. Part-time maternal employment was associated with the expression of less stereotyped attitudes by adults on several variables; few effects were found among children. Family composition was related only to stereotyping of male occupations. The results were viewed as supporting cognitive developmental theory. Research was suggested to extend knowledge of developmental and sex differences and to further explore the effect of part-time employment.
Subject Area
Developmental psychology
Recommended Citation
GENDLER, NATALIE K, "CHILDREN'S SEX-TRAIT AND SEX-ROLE STEREOTYPES: DEVELOPMENT AND RELATIONSHIP TO PARENTS' STEREOTYPES" (1984). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8503427.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8503427