Preschool Children's Conceptions of Social Situations and Their Responses by Children's Gender

Abstract

This study examined whether preschool children's meta-socialization (conceptions of social situations) and their responses differed according to the children's gender. The participants were 78 preschool children living in Seoul, Korea. The results showed gender differences in the children's conceptions of social situations and in their responses to social situations. Firstly, a girl's conceptual judgments about social situations were more developed and dependent on the teacher's authority. Secondly, the boys showed direct and physical responses, while girls showed indirect, linguistic, and emotional responses in moral and social-conventional situations. In addition, girls made more frequent responses to 'Choice Assertion' in personal situations than boys.