Observational learning in children: Effects of sex of model and subject's sex role behavior.

Abstract

Studied the relationship between children's sex role behavior and children's acquisition of behaviors exhibited by same- and opposite-sex adult models. 96 elementary school children of both sexes were classified as either masculine or feminine on the basis of their scores on a projective test of sex role behavior. They then watched a short film depicting the behavior of an adult male and an adult female model under 1 of 2 conditions: free verbalization (Ss described aloud the models' actions) and passive observation. Children of both sexes classified as masculine recalled more of the behavior of the male model. In addition, while watching the film, masculine children in the free-verbalization condition spontaneously verbalized more of the actions of the male than of the female model. Parallel results were not found for Ss classified as feminine. Results are interpreted in the light of some recent developments in social learning theory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved).