Middle-class children, divided by age, sex, and the presence/absence of younger siblings in the family, were studied to assess their interest in babies. The findings support MacDonald's contention that birth order effects are best understood as distinctive for each sex, especially when the behaviors investigated are sex-related. (Author/GC)

To determine whether modeling of infant care by males would increase young boys' interest in babies, a study was conducted with up to 34 white, middle-class children who attended a university day care center and who ranged in age from 2 to 6 years. Procedures involved 3 days of pretest data collection, 4 weeks of treatment presentation, and 3…

This research report examines the effect of sexual orientation in reading material upon reading test scores of boys and girls. (MK)

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…

Examined sex-typing in child personality, interests, and activities as function of traditionality of parents' gender role attitudes and sex composition of sibling dyads. Found that sex-typing was most evident in children's interests and activities. Differences in children's sex-typing as a function of fathers' attitudes and sibling sex…

Analysis of 232 elementary school children's questions posed to nontraditional workers reveals that gender schemata are important aspects of a child's thought processes. Common characteristics of their questions are identified. Boys and girls fill part of their gender schema with like kinds of information about what is gender-appropriate behavior.…

Examined gender differences in 514 children's competence and value beliefs from first through twelfth grade, and the relation of these trends to initial differences in parents' perceptions of children's ability. Found that gender differences in competence and value beliefs related to sports and mathematics. Gender differences in competence beliefs…

A two-part study investigated female college students' preferences for stereotyped or nonstereotyped role models and the relationship of such preferences to the choice of traditional versus nontraditional careers. A total of 211 women students from a mid-Atlantic state university (all the enrolled women) as well as a stratified-by-college…

Investigated sex differences in preschoolers' computer interest and computer competence. There was little evidence for greater male interest and competence; in fact, there were no sex differences in computer competence. Boys viewed the computer as male-oriented, and girls viewed it as female-oriented. (GLR)

Examined whether 6- and 11-year-olds' beliefs about job status and job interests are affected by gendered nature of jobs. Found that children gave higher status ratings to masculine jobs and expressed greater interest in jobs culturally associated with their own sex. Older children rated novel jobs portrayed with males as having higher status than…

This study investigated children's preference and comprehension responses to stories in which both male and female main characters were represented in traditional and nontraditional roles, and stories in which only the opposite sex main characters were portrayed in those roles. A total of 218 girls and 169 boys from grades five and six (all with…

This book seeks to explain how gender affects human development from infancy through adolescence and into adulthood. The book's introduction states the two theses of the book: first, gender differences appear primarily in group, or social, contexts; and second, gender differentiation can be understood only in a developmental context--the sexes…