Students from the fifth, eighth, and eleventh grades were asked to describe their ideal self-image. Analyzed according to 19 categories (such as occupation, marriage, and physical appearance), the responses revealed differences according to gender, age, cognitive-developmental level, and socialization experience. (DM)

Examines developmental and individual differences in the effects of gender schematization on young children's memories for gender-typed information, and investigates the interactive effects of children's age, gender schematization, and verbal labeling of information on preschoolers' memories for gender typed information. (JS)

Investigated relationships and sequence of acquisition among seven gender concepts and extent to which cognitive maturity is related to them. Study of 60 preschool children found that gender concepts improve with age, are similar in both sexes, and are related to one another and to some aspects of cognitive maturity. (Author/ML)

Reviews developmental literature on cognitive gender differences; and compares past and present trends in gender differences, by age, from standardizations of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales and the California Achievement Tests. Decreases are found in gender differences for adolescents but not for adults. Implications are discussed. (SLD)

Provides a theory-based examination of relations among aspects of preschool children's social environments and cognitive indices of their gender role development. Examines differences in the relations among social agents on cognitive indices of girls' and boys' gender role development. Significant sex differences are discussed. (JS)

A group of 76 male and female toddlers identified drawings depicting boys and girls alone or with sex-typical or sex-atypical toys by responding "girl" or "boy,""girls' toy" or "boys' toy." The youngest girls outperformed the youngest boys in identifying toys. Otherwise, responses in general improved with…

Explored young children's motivation for gender-stereotypical preferences, examining cognitive development and understanding theory. Data from research on children in their first year of school and children transitioning into school found an association between gender-stereotypical behavior and attainment of gender constancy, suggesting that…

Investigated occupational stereotypes of nursery school, kindergarten, third- and sixth-grade children, and the effects of their acquiring the concept of gender stability. Assessed (1) personal aspirations, and (2) ideas about jobs men and women do. (Author/GC)

Psychoanalytic, social learning and cognitive-developmental theories are evaluated in terms of their usefulness in explaining sex role acquisition. A model that attempts to integrate the most significant features from each theoretical position is proposed. (Author/EB)

A battery of questionnaires administered to 121 male and female high school freshmen, college freshmen, and college seniors provided evidence that the greater role conflict experienced by females fosters earlier relativistic and/or dialectical reasoning and more differentiated role articulation regarding family and career issues. (DM)

Development in general, and sex-role behavior in particular, is influenced by both biological and environmental factors. However, the coalescence of these factors around the child's growing social cognitive abilities is the critical factor in the development of sex role behavior. (Author/EB)