The Toy Preference Test: A Measure of Sex-Role Identification

Abstract

Experimental methods for the study of personality development in children are of fundamental importance. Tools used for this purpose should receive a pretesting similar to that given intelligence, aptitude, and some achievement tests. But formal testing requirements have often been overlooked in experimental research with children. This investigation attempts to apply such a formal pretesting to a test designed for use in the study of sex-role identification and preference. Recent studies concerning sex-role identification and sex-role preference have used a variety of experimental techniques and have produced a variety of experimental results. In an area of personality development like this, which has been experimentally approached only relatively recently, it seems appropriate to take a look at some of the measurement techniques used. We will also present data on a new measure in some detail. One technique used recently is Brown's It Scale for Children (2) which consists of pictures of toys, playmates, and activities, some of which are masculine and some of which are feminine. A sex-role preference score is determined on the basis of the choices the subject makes from among the alternatives presented to him. A technique for studying role-playing activity of