Fathers and Sex-Role Development

Abstract

Sex-role characteristics have been differentiated into sex-role orientation, sex-role preference, and sex-role adoption. These sex-role characteristics must, in turn, be distinguished from one's similarity to a parent. Like father, like son, implying sons' greater similarity to fathers than to mothers, must be rejected as a generalization and accepted only for specific traits. Moreover, in a study of 90 boys [ages 8-11], sons were no more likely to imitate their fathers than they were to imitate their mothers or a man who was a stranger. The boys were, however, significantly more likely to imitate a man stranger than a woman stranger. A literature review found fathers generally more concerned than mothers with sex-typing their children, particularly their boys, although they may in fact be more effective in enhancing their daughter's femininity. Masculinity in a son appears to be related not to father's masculinity but to a combination of his nurturance, dominance, and participation in his son's care.