Event Title
Parental Gender Stereotypes: Effects on Children’s Toy Selection and Emotional Responses
Faculty Mentor
Tsu-Min Chiang
Keywords
Tsu-Min Chiang
Abstract
Children’s gender stereotypes are established around three to four years of age based on past research findings. Toy selection is commonly used as an indicator for gender identity development. Additionally, it has been shown that caregivers have a large impact on children’s acquisition of gender-appropriate behaviors and objects. Pre-school children are also more likely to perceive males characters as angry and female characters as sad when processing negative emotions. Therefore, the present study examines whether preschool children with parents who hold stronger gender-stereotypes would be more likely to choose a “gender-appropriate” toy. Furthermore, the relationship between gender stereotypes and children’s emotional behaviors is assessed by teachers’ Social Competence and Behavior Checklist. It is expected to find boys are more likely to externalize problems, while girls are more likely to internalize problems as the strength of gender stereotypes increases. Details of data analysis and interpretation will be discussed at the conference.
Session Name:
Psychology and Criminal Justice Potpourri I: Studies of Gender Stereotypes, Sibling Birth Order, Contrained Behaviors, and Fear of Crime
Start Date
4-4-2014 1:15 PM
End Date
4-4-2014 2:15 PM
Location
HSB 121
Parental Gender Stereotypes: Effects on Children’s Toy Selection and Emotional Responses
HSB 121
Children’s gender stereotypes are established around three to four years of age based on past research findings. Toy selection is commonly used as an indicator for gender identity development. Additionally, it has been shown that caregivers have a large impact on children’s acquisition of gender-appropriate behaviors and objects. Pre-school children are also more likely to perceive males characters as angry and female characters as sad when processing negative emotions. Therefore, the present study examines whether preschool children with parents who hold stronger gender-stereotypes would be more likely to choose a “gender-appropriate” toy. Furthermore, the relationship between gender stereotypes and children’s emotional behaviors is assessed by teachers’ Social Competence and Behavior Checklist. It is expected to find boys are more likely to externalize problems, while girls are more likely to internalize problems as the strength of gender stereotypes increases. Details of data analysis and interpretation will be discussed at the conference.