Preschool Children with Gender Normative and Gender Non-Normative Peer Preferences: Psychosocial and Environmental Correlates

Abstract

We addressed several issues concerning children who show gender non-normative (GNN) patterns of peer play. First, do young children with GNN peer preferences differ from children with gender normative (GN) peer preferences in problem behaviors? Second, do GNN and GN children differ in sociability and isolation and do they have differential socialization opportunities with externalizing, internalizing, and socially competent peers? We employed a Bayesian approach for classifying children as GNN based on their peer preferences as compared to their peers using a sample of Head Start preschool children from a large Southwestern city (N = 257; 53% boys; M age = 51 months; 66% Mexican American). To calculate socialization opportunities, we assessed affiliation to each child in the class and weighted that by each peer’s characteristics to determine the exposure that each child had to different kinds of peers. GN children of both sexes interacted more with same-sex peers, which may limit learning of different styles of interaction. As compared to GN children, GNN children exhibited more engagement in other-sex activities and with other-sex play partners and GNN children experienced somewhat fewer peer interactions, but did not differ on problem behaviors or social competence. Boys with GNN peer preferences had increased exposure to peers with problem behaviors. GNN girls experienced little exposure to peers with problem behaviors, but they also had little exposure to socially competent peers, which may reduce learning social skills from peers. Implications of these findings for future socialization and development will be discussed.

Gender stereotypes: the impact upon perceived roles and practice of in-service teachers in physical education

“…Children learn and accept 'what is for boys or girls' and through gendered schematic selectivity apply it to themselves. This produces sex-typed behaviours and traits between the ages of two and three (Bem, 1981;Martin et al, 2012;Mulvey & Killen, 2015;Serbin et al, 2001).…”

Assessing gender in young children: Constructs and considerations.

“…For example, aggressive styles were coded as more stereotypically male and communicative styles were coded as more stereotypically female (Fagot & Leinbach, 1989). Similar studies have looked at observations of children's stereotypical toy selections (Campbell et al, 2002;Fagot, Leinbach, & Hagan, 1986) and peer preferences (Fagot et al, 1986;Martin et al, 2012). Sex-typed or stereotypical preferences have also been assessed through projection tasks, such as the IT Scale for Children (ITSC; Brown, 1956).…”

Challenging Gender Stereotypes: Resistance and Exclusion

“…Very early in life, children begin conforming to gender stereotypes and interacting in gender‐segregated social groups. Children's knowledge of gender stereotypes, including choice of toys and activities, emerges during the preschool period (Martin et al., ), and research indicates that, even as early as preschool, interaction with teachers and peers can influence gender segregation in play and activities (Glassman, ; Goble, Martin, Hanish, & Fabes, ). Extensive evidence demonstrates that gender stereotypes guide children's preferences for activities, occupations, and career goals (Liben & Bigler, ; Ruble, Martin, & Berenbaum, ), even though young children often view adherence to gender norms to be a matter of personal choice (Conry‐Murray, ) or a convention (Smetana et al., ).…”