Relations among aspects of children's social environments, gender schematization, gender role knowledge, and flexibility

Abstract

Sixty 33–60-month-old children's gender role knowledge, gender role flexibility, and gender schematization were assessed. Parents completed questionnaires describing aspects of their child's social environment. Results indicated that boys who reportedly interacted more with their fathers, and girls who interacted more with both parents, exhibited greater gender schematization. Children who interacted more with parents displayed less gender role flexibility. Girls with mothers who worked outside the home demonstrated greater gender role flexibility. Boys with many siblings displayed greater gender role knowledge. Children with fewer siblings displayed greater gender role flexibility. Boys favoring entertainment television demonstrated greater gender role knowledge. Girls favoring educational television displayed greater gender role flexibility. Future research and theory evaluating the interactive effects of social and cognitive factors on boys' and girls' gender role development are encouraged.