To test effects of family constellation on children's acquisition of sex-role, the sex-role behavior of 175 children between the ages of 3 and one half and 6 years from one-child and two-child families was compared. Included in the design were five categories: only children, and four additional categories based on sex and relative age of siblings…

Reviews recent studies of change in gender-stereotyped behavior or attitudes in children. Suggests factors in susceptibility to counterstereotyping attempts including: (1) developmental level, (2) relationship between sex role cognitions and behavior, (3) degree of consistency in gender-stereotyped behavior, and (4) the role of individual…

A study examined the relations between fourth- through sixth-grade students' school adjustment and the extent to which their self concepts conformed to stereotypic gender roles. Among boys, more stereotypic self-concepts were associated with high levels of externalizing conduct disorders. Among girls, stereotypy was associated with high levels of…

The present study investigated the gender biases of children judging the competencies and weaknesses of other children in a school setting as a function of their sex, age, and race as well as a geographical SES factor. It was found that these biases exist and diminish somewhat with age. (Author/AM)

Two studies explored factors relating to children's willingness to perform tasks that are not traditional to their gender. More untraditional behavior was elicited with male than with female examiners. Mechanisms that may underlie this effect are discussed. (BC)

This group of studies investigated the level of traditionality/flexibility in the sex-role attitudes of 376 six- and nine-year-old children, and in the attitudes of their parents. Sex-role questionnaires assessed: (1) the child's attitudes regarding toy and activity preferences, future domestic aspirations, occupational choices, and tolerance of…

Discusses the possible relationships between family socialization agents and gender schemata. Focuses on the interplay of the two types of family variables--distal and proximal--and gender schemata. Distal variables discussed are: (1) socioeconomic level; (2) ethnicity; (3) intact versus one-parent families; (4) maternal employment and sibling…

This article explores some of the major influences affecting the development of female sex-role identity and the psychological and social consequences of this deveopment during childhood and adolescence. (Author/EB)

Considers reasons for raising feminist children, how this concept might be operationalized, and what the correlates of such gender-flexible patterns might be. Results from longitudinal data involving 200 children suggest that variation exists in the degree to which even young children subscribe to stereotypes. These variations seem to relate to…

This study was designed to assess the relative importance of various factors influencing children's sex role orientations. A measure of sex role flexibility developed for this study and a self concept questionnaire were administered to 376 children in kindergarten and third grade. The children's parents were interviewed about sex role attitudes…

This study investigated a variety of factors which influence the development of women's attitudes and performance in mathematics. Specific objectives were: (1) to document the existence of stereotypes associated with mathematics; (2) to determine the age at which children become aware of these stereotypes; (3) to specify the social agents…