Sarah Folkening's List: Child Development Project

• starts at birth

  • This begins when the parents find out the sex of the baby during pregnancy. There is an instant influx of gender-typed toys and clothes and decor.
• learning cultural roles according to one's sex
• Parental and societal expectations from boys and girls, their selection of gender-specific toys, and/or giving gender based assignments
• seem to define a differentiating socialization process that can be termed as
• "gender socialization"
• intertwined with the ethnic, cultural, and religious values of a given society

  • This is interesting to me, because I hadn't really thought about the religious implications of gender socialization. In my denomination (Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod), women are not allowed to be pastors.
• continues throughout the life cycle
• Gender socialization is the process by which people learn to behave in a certain way, as dictated by societal beliefs, values, attitudes and examples.
• perpetuated by family members, teachers and others by having different expectations for males and females.
• Imagine the following scenario: a young pregnant woman is about to have her first child.  When asked whether she wishes to have a girl or boy, she replies that it doesn’t matter.  But, sitting next to her is an older relative who says “Oh, hopefully it will be a boy.”  In small, but meaningful ways such as this, gender socialization starts even before birth.
• Boys are told not to cry, not to fear, not to be forgiving and instead to be assertive, and strong.
• Girls on the other hand are asked not to be demanding, to be forgiving and accommodating and “ladylike”.
• In many parts of the world, girls face discrimination in the care they receive in terms of their access to nutritious foods and health care, leading them to believe that they deserve to be treated differently than boys.

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• Because socialization is a two-way interaction, each person in the interaction influences the other (Lewis & Rosenblum, 1974); thus, parents and children engage in reciprocal interaction, with children both responding to and eliciting behaviors

  • This is an interesting concept. What came first? Who is responsible for the gender specific behaviors?
• parent-child relationship is one of the most important developmental factors for the child
• Often, parents send subtle messages regarding gender and what is acceptable for each gender - messages which are internalized by the developing child
• While there may be some benefit to adhering to strict gender role stereotypes (i.e., providing a sense of security, facilitating decision making)
• These costs include limiting opportunities for both boys and girls, ignoring talent, and perpetuating unfairness in our society
• egalitarian attitude
• . Androgynous individuals have been found to have higher self-esteem (Lundy & Rosenberg, 1987; Shaw, 1983; Heilbrun, 1981), higher levels of identity achievement (Orlofsky, 1977), and more flexibility in dating and love relationships

  • People that encompass attributes from both genders have higher self esteem, etc. This is good to know. Its like they have the best of both worlds. Good qualities from both sexes.
• Children whose parents have strong egalitarian values tend to be more knowledgeable about nonsex-typed objects and occupations than are other children
• In fact, preschool children whose mothers work outside the home experience the world with a sense that everyone in the family gets to become a member of the outside world, and their sense of self includes the knowledge that they have the ability to make choices which are not hindered by gender

  • So, children who see their mom as the breadwinner, and dad who stays home with the kids are more likely to appreciate and understand changes in traditional gender roles.

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• family arena
• friends and school
• media, in particular, television.
• As children develop, these stereotypes become firmly entrenched beliefs and thus, are a part of the child's self-concept.
• From the time their children are babies, parents treat sons and daughters differently, dressing infants in gender-specific colors, giving gender-differentiated toys, and expecting different behavior from boys and girls (Thorne, 1993). One study indicates that parents have differential expectations of sons and daughters as early as 24 hours after birth

  • Other articles have said that gender expectations begin to develop before birth. 
• two-year-old children

  • Role Playing games such as House?
• Children even deny the reality of what they are seeing when it does not conform to their gender expectations (i.e., a child whose mother is a doctor stating that only men are doctors)
• Sons have a definite edge as far as parental preference for children is concerned. Most parents prefer male children throughout the world (Steinbacher & Holmes in Basow, 1992, p. 129). Also, people who prefer sons are more likely to use technology for selecting the sex of their child (Steinbacher & Gilroy, 1990). This preference for male children is further emphasized by the finding that parents are more likely to continue having children if they have only girls than if they have only boys
• Reasons given by women for their preference for sons are to please their husbands, to carry on the family name, and to be a companion to the husband.

  • Very traditional reasons to have male children.
• Reasons for wanting daughters include having a companion for themselves and to have fun dressing a girl and doing her hair (Hoffman, 1977).
• playing with trucks and engaging in sports activities for boys
• oll playing and engaging in housekeeping activities for girls
• fathers have been found to reinforce gender stereotypes more often than do mothers

  • I have seen this happen personally. In a family that I nannied for, the little boy would often ask his mom to wear her makeup, and she said "You know that daddy will be mad if you wear it?"
• A study of children's rooms has shown that girls' rooms have more pink, dolls, and manipulative toys;
• boys' rooms have more blue, sports equipment, tools, and vehicles (Pomerleau, Bolduc, Malcuit, & Cossette, 1990). Boys are more likely to have maintenance chores around the house
• , such as painting and mowing the lawn,
• while girls are likely to have domestic chores such as cooking and doing the laundry

  • Usually, my chores involve cleaning, but for a few summers, I mowed the grass.

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• found to score highest in parental warmth and support.
• developing a sense of self-worth in sons and daughters

• Klinefelter syndrome, also known as the XXY condition, is a term used to describe males who have an extra X chromosome in most of their cells. Instead of having the usual XY chromosome pattern that most males have, these men have an XXY pattern.
• Because not every male with an XXY pattern has all the symptoms of Klinefelter syndrome, it is common to use the term XXY male to describe these men, or XXY condition to describe the symptoms.  
• one of the most common chromosome abnormalities

  • Did NOT know that it was this prevalent. That means there could have been an XXY male in my high school class. Weird to think about how these men can just blend in with society in many cases.
• weak muscles and reduced strength
• XXY males tend to be taller and may have less muscle control and coordination than other boys their age
• sit up, crawl, and walk later
• taller, less muscular body, less facial and body hair, and broader hips than other boys
• larger breasts, weaker bones, and a lower energy level
• similar to males without the condition
• autoimmune disorders, breast cancer, vein diseases, osteoporosis, and tooth decay.
• normal sex lives, but they usually make little or no sperm
• Between 95 percent and 99 percent of XXY males are infertile because their bodies don’t make a lot of sperm.

  • That is sad. I wonder if many of these men know that they have Klinefelter's syndrome.
• 25 percent and 85 percent of XXY males have some kind of language problem
• harder time doing work that involves reading and writing, but most hold jobs and have successful careers. 
• quiet and undemanding
• quiet and shy
• live lives similar to men without the condition
• Educational treatments
• Therapeutic options
• Medical treatments

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• Turner syndrome (TS) is a chromosomal condition that describes girls and women with common features that are caused by complete or   partial absence of the second sex chromosome.
• The most common feature of Turner syndrome is short stature. The average height of an adult TS woman who has not received human growth   hormone treatment is 4’8”.
• fall below the normal female growth curve for height during early   childhood.
• Most (90%) TS individuals will experience early ovarian failure
• Estrogen replacement therapy is necessary for breast development,   feminine body contours, menstruation and proper bone development. About a third of TS individuals will show some signs of breast development   without estrogen treatment
• however, many will not complete puberty, and those that do often have premature ovarian failure.
• TS individuals are on average of normal overall intelligence with the same variance as the general population. They do, however, often   have difficulty with spatial-temporal processing
• nonverbal memory and attention.
• direction,
• math,
• dexterity
• social skills

• Narrow, high-arched palate (roof of the mouth) <!--?xml:namespace prefix = "o" ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /-->

   

  ·        Retrognathia (receding lower jaw)

   

  ·         Low-set ears

   

  ·        Low hairline (the hair on the neck is closer to the shoulders)

   

  ·         Webbed neck (excess   or stretched skin) 

   

  ·         Slight droop to eyes

   

  ·        Strabismus (lazy eye)

   

  ·         Broad chest

   

  ·        Cubitus valgus (arms that turn out slightly at the elbows)

   

  ·         Scoliosis (curvature   of the spine)

   

  ·         Flat feet

   

  ·         Small,   narrow fingernails and toenails that turn up (usually if lymphedema was present at birth) 

   

  ·        Short fourth metacarpals (the ends of these bones form the knuckles)

   

  ·         Edema (swelling)   of hands and feet, especially at birth
• Some form of cardiac abnormality occurs in approximately one-third of TS patients.
• primarily left-sided
• Coarctation (narrowing) of the aorta and bicuspid aortic valve
• hypertension
• Thirty percent of TS individuals will have kidney abnormalities
• Hypothyroidism
• Otitis media
• celiac disease

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• Gender comprises an array of socially constructed roles and relationships, as well as personality traits, attitudes, behaviors, and values that are differentially applied to and held by men and women
• Because gender implicitly underlies all of an individual's interactions with his or her environment, it may play an important role in the perception of a particular situation as stressful, as well as in subsequent coping.
• When subjected to standardized laboratory psychosocial stress tasks, like public speaking in front of an audience, men consistently show a higher cortisol stress response compared to women

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• After going into "Toys R Us," many can conclude that the toys which children play with, pass down stereotypes of gender roles.
• girls learn to nurture
• boys learn "warrior-like" roles
• Girls’ toys stress physical beauty and appearance
• boys’ toys focus on respect for their physical abilities
• "Gender" refers to the socio-cultural dimension of being female or male
• 4). In hospital rooms, babies encounter gender socialization occurs for the firs time when nurses place traditional "blue" or "pink" caps on their heads.
• "By the time children are 3 to 4 years old, they have already formed an image of themselves as boy or girl
• Except for "Sesame Street," and "Fisher Price," who manufacture successful gender-neutral toys to children younger than four years of age
• pink and white "girls" section.
• Toys R Us" actually divides toys into a blue and navy "boys" section,
• the most popular "girl" color by 95%, yellows, whites, lavenders, reds and pastels.
• the boys' aisles had an array of blue the most popular "boys" color by 95% as well, green, red, black, gray, and brown
• The female section of the toy store was much bigger than the male side possibly feeding into the stereotype that women have more material objects than men.  Little girls could buy dolls and kitchen sets,

  • This statement made me laugh out loud, but it also made me think... Maybe my addiction to clothes is all because of shopping at ToysRUs as a kid!
• Boys have shown to prefer more vehicles, weapons, and spatial-temporal items
• oys had access to action figures and weapons.
• girls request more dolls, domestic items, and musical instrument in the Christmas request
• Through popular toys such as "My Sweet Home" doll set, "Baby Born" doll, "My Little Helper Stove," "2-in-1 Vacuum Set," and the popular "Elegant Tea Set," young girls learn that their roles take place in the home. They learn that their duties require completion of household chores and nurturing the children. The descriptions on many of the packages tell the child the importance of their "roles."  For example, the script on the box of "Baby Newborn," doll set says, "Without you, Baby Newborn could not survive. Through your love and support Baby Newborn can grow to be just like you." Messages like these tell girls that only they can provide a child with the love and care they need to survive, reinforcing the stereotype that women stay home and take care of the children.
• Many girls' toys also teach the obsessive value of appearance for societal acceptance. Girls learn how to be beautiful, making themselves acceptable in society. Rhonda Lieberman says, "Societies have produced idealized images of beauty as a means of identifying what they are not" (1). Mattel's  internationally famous "Barbie" should partly take responsibility for the picture-perfect "standard of beauty" girls learn to value. With her leggy, busty figure and body measurements that would make it impossible for her to stand up in real life, "Barbie" is available in an assortment of races, colors, and professions, to appeal to any background" (Borger 1). Through "Barbie’s" image, girls think the perfect, attractive, and socially accepted woman, is thin, but well endowed, glamorous, happy, and silent. "Barbie" also offers a young girl a "workout" tape to stay in shape, again reinforcing the message that thin and only thin is acceptable. Besides "Barbie’s," toy stores offer young girls beauty products such as, "Glamour Girl Set," "Barbie Dress Up Set," "Manicure Mania," "Super Hair Creations," and "Scent Salon Boutique," to re-enforce the importance of personal appearance.
• The last observances of the "girls" section of "Toys R Us," were the difference in girls' games. Popular girls games include, "Girl Talk," "Telephone Tag," "Electronic Dream Phone," "Dream Date Match Maker Service," and "Barbie’s Virtual Make Over CD ROM." The main difference between boys' and girls' games is that girls' games do not challenge the mind; rather, they only expand on gender stereotypes. Games made for girls teach them to sit and play quietly, under the stereotype that girls are better at simple repetitive task (Maccoby 6). These products are manufactured under the stereotype that girls socialize more than boys, teach girls to  value socializing with friends rather than education (Maccoby 6). Educator and researcher, Janese Swanson, said this about girls games, "Young girls are not specifically encouraged to participate in 'active' activities, and are encouraged to 'be careful' (3). The toys teach young girls their "roles" inside the home cooking, cleaning, and taking care of the young, all the while looking eloquently beautiful for those on the outside world. Overall, girls' toys teach them that their gender role is and cannot be superior to that of their male counterpart.
• In general, toys even suggest that our society values young boys more highly than girls. Campenni says, "Interestingly it appears that there may be more stereotyping regarding toys offered to boys. For their sons, parents tend to choose more masculine and gender-neutral toys, than female toys (122).  Like "Small Soldiers Action Figures," "Small Soldiers Karate Fighters," "Starwars Double Take Death Kit," and "WWF Ring Warriors Wrestling Kit," most masculine toys encourage competitive and aggressive behavior, but are also more constructive, conducive to handling, and much more reality based.  Masculine traits associated with these toys are aggressive, active, dominant, and competitive (Campenni 123).  These toys reflect negativity because they send a message that violence can solve problems. Through their toys, boys receive a message of being active, assertive, often associating in violent activities, and war games. They learn that they must be strong and "Warrior-Like" in order to be accepted as a real man. These particular toys have become so popular due to the stereotype that all boys show more aggressive behavior  than girls (Swanson 2). Psychologist O’Brien and Huston found that on average boys will choose these masculine toys frequently because they will get approval from their peers for playing with toys said to "appropriate to their sex" (1).

• Through their toys, boys also learn about adventure and physical activity outside of the home, and also about high paying white-collar occupations, unlike girls' toys. Generally boys toys prepare the for the "real world." For example, the "Electronic Rescue Center," "Police Communication System," "Emergency Action Set," "Police Helmet and Vest Set," "My Carry-Along Briefcase," and "Fire Rescue Power Crane,"  all  teach young boys the importance of an occupation outside of the home, generally teaching stereotypical "male" careers such as doctors, lawyers, policemen, and firemen. A popular masculine toy, "My Tool Kit" teaches boys coordination and problem-solving skills needed to survive in the outside world.  Manufacturers make these boys' toys  under the stereotype that boys excel at task that require higher level of cognition ("Developmental Psychology" 6).
• ing sets encourage higher education and technical skills needed to be successful in dominate career fields. Unlike the girls toys discussed, boys' toys such as, "The Erector Set," "Challenge Building Set," "Deluxe Solar System Set," "X-Force Put-Together Defense Station," foster them mental stimulation, and teach coordination and problem solving. Through these toys, boys freely, explore and experiment, not having to play at home quietly. Many of these toys, in the opinion of Janese Swanson, "Promote active participation in the outside world, helping to establish a feel for our future world of science and technology" (4).
• The last major difference noticed in boys' toys was the fact that many of their games and build
• "Before adolescence boys and girls are more alike than different in biology and attitudes" (2). However, society defines "appropriate" gender roles, which eliminate cross-gender play (Swanson 2). Gender stereotyping of children's toys may also play a part in the differences noted in cognitive and social skills of both sexes. Girls loose self esteem and are not encouraged to achieve, while boys become overachievers and loose self-esteem when they do not feel "adequate."
• "Boys are doctors; Girls are Nurses. Boys are football players; girls are cheerleaders. Boys invent thing; Girls use the things boys invent. Boys fix things; Girls need things fixed. Boys are presidents; Girls are first ladies"

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• As one might expect in a society still dominated by men, men dominate TV production and, influenced by these stereotypes, unconsciously reproduce a traditional 'masculine' perspective, perpetuating dominant gender stereotypes.
• Many narratives on TV are still implicitly designed to be interpreted from a masculine perspective. Viewers are frequently invited to identify with male characters and to objectify females. This has been called 'the male gaze'. This mode of viewing is called 'unmarked': it is an invisible and largely unquestioned bias - the masculine perspective is the 'norm'.

• Girls learn from most TV that it is a man's world, and learn to displace their own perspective. In recent years there has at least been a notable increase in the number of women news presenters. Formerly, TV directors (largely male, of course) had argued that women were less likely to be taken seriously by viewers. However, one could perhaps argue that physical attractiveness may play more part in their selection than for their male counterparts. 

    There is in fact some evidence that girls (aged 8-12) may tend to find a male newsreader more believable than a woman newsreader, whereas the newsreader's sex does not seem to influence boys' ideas of their believability. Girls may grow used to being presented with the male on TV in general as more powerful and knowledgeable (see Durkin: 94).

  • I disagree. I believe that there are many television programs catered toward women: Gilmore Girls, Sex and the City, Army Wives, Gossip Girl etc...
• • Isn't this interesting? Even at such a young age, children have different views on who can be trusted. Girls maybe believe that men, or father figures have more authority, so they find male newsmen more trustworthy. This is the second article that showed differences in boys and girls and their views of men and women.
• Men outnumber women in general TV drama by 3 or 4 to 1. 70-85% of those on children's TV are male, and in children's cartoons, males outnumber females by 10 to 1.
• Even in soap operas women can be outnumbered 7:3.
• In contrast to this dominance of the screen by men, we all know that in the everyday world, women in fact slightly outnumber men. In this sense, TV does not reflect observable demographic realities, although it may well reflect the current distribution of power, and the values of those who hold it.

  • Interesting point if this data is still accurate!
• There are also more men than women in starring roles; the exceptions are notable only as exceptions.
• Gender roles are not biologically determined, but vary acording to culture and epoch, and even for individuals during the course of their lives. Gender roles are consequently described by social scientists as socially constructed. Most of the behaviour associated with gender is learned rather than innate. People learn what sorts of behaviour and personality are regarded in their cultural context as appropriate for males or females.
• Not all men are 'leaderlike', 'aggressive', 'assertive', 'independent', 'risk-taking' and so on;
• not all women are 'affectionate', 'gentle', 'sympathetic', 'dependent', 'emotional', 'nurturing' etc.
• men will seek achievement and dominance,
• omen will be compliant and supportive
• The majority of women on TV are restricted to a few roles.
• Women are often shown on TV in 'traditional' roles such as housewives, mothers, secretaries and nurses
• men are shown as husbands and fathers, but also as athletes, celebrities and tycoons.
• . Men on TV are more often portrayed in employment, tend to have a higher status and are less likely to be shown in the home.
• Where women are shown as successful outside the domestic sphere they are frequently portrayed as unhappy in their personal lives.
• With femininity are associated traits such as emotionality, prudence, co-operation, a communal sense, and compliance.
• Masculinity tends to be associated with such traits as rationality, efficiency, competition, individualism and ruthlessness.]
• 'good' women are presented as submissive, sensitive and domesticated; 'bad' women are rebellious, independent and selfish. The 'dream-girl' stereotype is gentle, demure, sensitive, submissive, non-competitive, sweet- natured and dependent.
• The male hero tends to be physically strong, aggressive, assertive, takes the initiative, is independent, competitive and ambitious. TV and film heroes represent goodness, power, control, confidence, competence and success. They are geared, in other words, to succeed in a competitive economic system. There is no shortage of aggressive male role-models in Westerns, war films and so on. Many boys try to emulate such characteristics through action and aggression.
• Men tend to be shown as more dominant, more violent and more powerful than women. Men on TV are more likely to disparage women than vice versa. They drive, drink and smoke more, do athletic things, and make more plans. They are found more in the world of things than in relationships.

• Stereotypical masculinity, for instance, is portrayed as natural, normal and universal, but it is fact a particular construction. It is largely a white, middle-class heterosexual masculinity. This is a masculinity within which any suggestion of feminine qualities or homosexuality is denied, and outside which women are subordinated. The notion of 'natural' sex differences help to preserve the inequalities on which our economic system continues to be based. 

    
• n adverts, men tend to be portrayed as more autonomous. They are shown in more occupations than women;
• Men are more likely to be shown advertising cars or business products;
• women are shown mainly as housewives and mothers.
• women in domestic settings.
• Men are more likely to be shown outdoors or in business settings;
• women are mostly advertising domestic products.
• whilst women seem to disappear
• Men are more often portrayed as authorities. As far as ads go, with age men seem to gain authority,
• Voice-overs represent the programme-maker's interpretations of what is seen: these are the voices of 'authority'. They are overwhelmingly male (figures of up to 94% have been reported). There have been more female voice-overs in recent years but mainly for food, household products and feminine care products. Male voice-overs tend to be associated with a far wider range of products.
• boys tend to be the dominant ones
• . Ads aimed at boys portray far more activity and aggressive behaviour than those for girls, and tend to be far louder. Boys are typically shown as active, aggressive, rational and discontented. Boys ads contain active toys, varied scenes, rapid camera cuts and loud, dramatic music and sounds.
• Girls ads tend to have frequent fades, dissolves, and gentle background music
• Up to 85% of the characters in children's TV are male, even in cartoons, and with animal characters - the sexual distribution of which is roughly as for Homo sapiens. Similarly, the occupational range for female characters on children's TV far more limited than for males.
• In general on TV, boys tend to be shown as active, aggressive, rational and discontented. They tend to engage in traditional male activities such as sports, travel and causing trouble.
• Even now, girls are often shown talking on the phone, reading and helping with the housework.
• Many commentators argue that viewing pleasures may be different for men and women. This is partly a question of programme genres, and partly of style of engagement with TV. Some theorists distinguish between styles of programmes which are broadly 'masculine' or 'feminine'.
• Those seen as typically masculine include action/adventure programmes, Westerns and factual programmes;
• those seen as more 'feminine' include soaps, sitcoms, romantic fiction and melodrama.
• . Soap operas define women in relation to a concern with the family.
• Action-adventures define men in relation to power, authority, aggression and technolog

• It is largely in sitcoms and soaps that men may sometimes be seen as caring, loving and expressive rather than dominating and authoritative. 

    
• Soaps in general have a predominantly female audience, although prime-time soaps such as Dallas are deliberately aimed at a wider audience, and in fact at least 30% of the audience for this soap was male.
• In the case of Dallas it is clear that the programme meant something different for female viewers compared with male viewers.

• Sport on television is dominated by men and tends to inculcate masculine values. Sports programmes define men in relation to competition, strength and discipline. 

    Most war films promote violence as 'natural' and heroic for males. Women in these films are typically mothers, chattel or whores. The soldiers are men of few words, heroic deeds and stoic endurance. As John Wayne put it, 'Never apologize, mister - it's a sign of weakness'. Lethal tasks are performed by soldiers in these films with no show of emotion. 

    Easthope argues that detective stories 'give the masculine ego the pleasure of mastery, certainty, seeing it all clearly laid out in the end'. Detective stories involve following clues and unravelling plots to re-establish a sense of order.

  • I actually love all these genres.

• I have referred already to the overwhelming use of males for voice-overs. Visuals are similarly given an invisible masculine frame... 

    Erving Goffman (1979) found that in media advertisements 'men tend to be located higher than women' and 'women are pictured on floors and bedas more than men'. He noted that 'lowering oneself physically in some form or other of prostration' is 'a classic stereotype of deference'. It effectively presents women as inferior to men. 

    On TV, men tend to be shown in clseface shots whereas women tend to be seen in full body shots. This has been called 'face-ism'. The face is generally seen as representing intellect and the body as emotion in western cultural mythologies.
• Without homosexuality, heterosexuality has no meaning.

  • Never heard this before. Interesting thought to ponder...
• Certainly we learn to be male or female - it doesn't come 'naturally' and the mass media contribute to making such roles seem 'natural'. And there is no doubt that TV presents powerful, attention-grabbing images of gender. It has been noted that many boys spend more time with male role-models on TV than with their own fathers.
• Early researchers (such as Sue Sharpe) tended to see the media as inevitably socializing children into traditional stereotypical roles, because of the prevalence of such images on TV and the importance ascribed to them by children. However, such accounts tend to overestimate the power of the media and underestimate the variety of ways in which people - even children - handle their experiences of them.
• t is unlikely that TV is a major influence at this stage, since the child is heavily engaged in social interaction with family and friends, and since much of TV is too complex to be fully understood in the early years
• This probably serves both to confirm and extend their assumptions about gender. But again, TV is far from the only source of data on gender for the child: schoolteachers now join friends and family as sources, and the peer group becomes significantly more important.
• Even at this stage they do not necessarily accept as real or desirable what they watch. Indeed, there is some evidence that at this stage heavy viewers may show some scepticism about gender steroetypes.
• TV offers a wide range of potential role-models, both positive and negative. Many people find these models of some use to them. It is not inevitable that viewers accept TV gender images without question, but many popular commentators tend to assume that they are more discriminating than ordinary mortals. Not all women, children - or even men - are passive victims of patriarchal stereotyping.

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• Boys typically like to play with cars and trucks
• while girls typically choose to play with dolls
• A traditional sociological explanation is that boys and girls are socialized and encouraged to play with different types of toys by their parents, peers, and the “society.” Growing scientific evidence suggests, however, that boys’ and girls’ toy preferences may have a biological origin.

  • I haven't read anything yet about biological origins of gender socialization.
• In 2002, Gerianne M. Alexander of Texas A&M University and Melissa Hines of City University in London stunned the scientific world by showing that vervet monkeys showed the same sex-typical toy preferences as humans.
• They were never socialized by humans, and they had never seen these toys before in their lives. Yet, not only did male and female vervet monkeys show the identical sex preference for toys, but how they played with these toys was also identical to how boys and girls might.

  • This article is probably the most interesting that I found. It was the first I found that marked any sort of biological factors, and the monkey study is amazing! I literally had my jaw dropped to the floor while reading.
• We do not yet know exactly why males of different primate species prefer wheeled toys and other vehicles, or why females of different primate species prefer plush toys and other dolls (except for their vague resemblance to babies, for which females are evolutionarily designed to care). However, it is becoming less and less likely that “gender socialization” is the reason why boys and girls prefer different toys, and more and more likely that there are some genetic, hormonal, and other biological reasons for the observed sex differences in toy preference.

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