This is one of the first studies of its kind to systematically examine processes influencing youth entry, retention, and dropout from sports. To accomplish this objective, the Women's Sports Foundation (WSF), in partnership with The DICK'S Sporting Goods Foundation, commissioned a national survey about the participation and experiences of youth in…

Observers rated identically dressed boys with feminine behavior, conventionally masculine boys, and conventionally feminine girls as to apparent sex, on a five-point scale. The sample to which the child belonged was the most important determinant of ratings: feminine boys were judged to be neither distinctly feminine nor distinctly masculine.…

Reports on a study that examined how aspects of sex-role learning account for differences in self-concept among preschool children. Subjects were 32 boys and 32 girls. Children with stereotypic child activity preferences or less awareness of sex-trait stereotypes had more positive self-concepts than their peers. (Author/CH)

Analysis of children's letters to Santa Claus indicated that: (1) girls requested more toys than boys; (2) children requested neutral toys more often than sex-typed toys; (3) girls were more likely to ask for neutral toys, while boys often asked for neutral or masculine toys; and (4) children preferred sex appropriate to sex inappropriate toys.…

Preschool children exhibited less curiosity about and less frequent recall of unfamiliar objects when the objects were labeled for the opposite sex than when they were labeled either for their own or for both sexes. (Author/MJL)

Interest is a powerful motivator; nonetheless, science educators often lack the necessary information to make use of the power of student-specific interests in the reform process of science curricula. This study suggests a novel methodology, which might be helpful in identifying such interests--using children's self-generated questions as an…

To investigate sex-stereotyping associated with computer use, a study was made of effects of gender and age on preschool children's involvement with computers during a school period allowing children to choose from among five alternative activities. A group of 16 boys and 16 girls was divided by age, with the resulting categories consisting of 17…

Explored the relationships among childhood activities, masculine and feminine characteristics, and career choices among career women and homemakers. Results indicated that childhood participation in sex-typed activities is associated with the adult personality characteristics of masculinity and femininity and adult role choices. (Author/BL)

This study examined the factors that influence parents' provision of opportunity for their children. In particular, it focused on the roles of the sex of the parent and the child in the provision of opportunities in two sex-stereotyped domains, sports and music. Data were collected from about 500 mothers and 300 fathers of second, third, and fifth…

Video games are neither neutral nor harmless but represent very specific social and symbolic constructs. Research on the social content of today's video games reveals that sex bias and gender stereotyping are widely evident throughout the Nintendo games. Violence and aggression also pervade the great majority of the games. (MLF)

Of four stories, preschool girls liked one with a female character and feminine activity best, and one with a male character and masculine activity least. The reverse was true for boys. Measures taken a day later showed that children recalled more about stories they had liked least the day before. (Author/MJL)

This study was designed to investigate male and female interest in babies at middle childhood and adolescence. A total of 64 middle class subjects (half 8- to 9-years-olds, half 14- to 15-year-olds) were observed individually in a 6-minute waiting room situation with an unfamiliar 6- to 10-month-old baby and mother (confederate). While the subject…

Although children identify many occupations as equally available for both sexes, their occupational likes and dislikes are sex role linked. The elementary school counselor can help students broaden their perceptions by working with students, teachers, parents, school administrators, and the community to enhance career education. (Author)

Examined the effect of observation of gender-related information in the peer group on preschoolers' attention to toys that were not clearly delineated as appropriate for one sex or the other. Contemporaneous peer involvement was significantly associated with children's toy adoption, but cumulative peer involvement was not. (Author/BB)

Reports that children recalled equal amounts of information from male and female newscasters and there was no interaction between sex of newscaster and sex-stereotypic story content. (FL)