So we should understand by now, that boys and girls, by the time they are in preschool, have acquired their own thoughts about gender. And from my blogs, part of this association between gender and gender stereotyping come from the toys kids play with, especially toys geared toward specific genders.
So we know toys play a role in how kids socialize and establish gender. The question is how do parents play a role with their own toy choice for their kids? Do parents care if they’re little boy, or girl, play with cross gender toys? I believe this is a broad question and would differ greatly across families, but one study I found showed how accurately preschool children, from ages 3-5 could predict their parents opinion about gender typical play and cross gender play.
During the study the children were given a set of girls toys, and boys toys, which they could distinguish between what toys were for girls, and what toys were for boys. The children were asked to predict what they thought their parents would say about each toy and their own choice of toy selection. The other half of the study involved the parents’; their own views on the toys, and how they felt about gender typical play, as well as cross gender play.
The parent responses to this study, and the children responses were completely different. The parent responses for approval of cross gender play was a high percentage for both boys and girls, but the responses of the children, and how they thought their parents would respond to cross gender play was low, meaning that they didn’t think their parents would approve.
The parents in this study say they rejected common stereotypes for their children, but it also shows the children believed their parents were more supportive of gender typical play toys, and less accepting of cross gender play toys.
The study done was a small-scale study and definitely has its limitations, but the reason why I like it is because it drives home the point that children can be products of their environment. Parents’ behaviors and viewpoints are reflected in their children, and have an impact on how a child views their own world. Whether a parent sees it or not, unconsciously they send messages about gender roles.
The video I chose shows how preschool children view their worlds.
Freeman, N. K. (2007). Preschoolers' perceptions of gender appropriate toys and their parents' beliefs about genderized behaviors: Miscommunication, mixed messages, or hidden truths?. Early Childhood Education Journal, 34(5), 357-366. doi:10.1007/s10643-006-0123-x
I think your blog is so interesting and provides a very good point about how children are taught gender. It's interesting to see the different parent and child viewpoints and I can see how they would differ. A parent may hold non-traditional gender roles, but may non verbally and subconsciously communicate a very different set of ideas.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention Barbie is almost always depicted as doing stereotypical female tasks, while Ken is a stereotypical male in what he does.
I love the concept of this blog. Children are absolutely subject to stereotypes at such an early age, and don't realize when they are performing gender atypical and typical behaviors. At the same time, a boy will know what toy or game (or sport for that matter) is for boys, and girls will know what toys or games are for girls. I found it very interesting that children start having these stereotypes forming around the same time as they form their gender identities. Very interesting stuff!
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