Parents' Attitudes and Expectations About Children's Cross-Gender Behavior

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Parents' attitudes and expectations about children's cross-gender behavior. by N. Kenneth Sandnabba , Christian Ahlberg Gender contributes to the initial context within which adults respond to a child (Berndt & Heller, 1986; Vogel, Lake, Evans & Hildebrand Karraker, 1991). Research would suggest that gender role socialization begins at the time of an infant's birth (Seavey, Catz, & Zalk, 1975; Birns, 1976). Most parents are extremely interested in learning whether their newborn infant is a boy or a girl, and intentionally or not, this knowledge elicits in them a set of expectations consistent with beliefs about gender-role-appropriate traits (Rubin, Provenzano & Luria, 1974; Wiberg, 1988). These category-based beliefs about gender-appropriate traits are called gender-role stereotypes. Adults' stereotypes of young children include personality traits as well as interests, and few characteristics are not gender-typed (Martin, 1995). Parents generally prefer that their children adhere to traditional gender-roles, and are concerned when they do not (Martin, 1990). The extent to which cross-gender behavior in children is discouraged has been found to be dependent upon the sex of the child. Studies have shown that boys who engage in traditionally feminine activities are viewed more negatively than girls who engage in masculine activities (Feinman, 1974, 1981; Martin, 1990). Women have been found to be more accepting of children's cross-gender behavior than men (Martin, 1990). Several explanations have been proposed to account for differential evaluations given to cross-gender behavior of boys and girls. One explanation concerns the different status levels associated with masculine and feminine roles (Feinman, 1981). According to Feinman, a female's movement into the more highly valued male role is more acceptable than a

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