Date of Award
1975
Document Type
Senior Scholars Paper (Colby Access Only)
Department
Colby College. Psychology Dept.
Advisor(s)
(unknown)
Abstract
A comprehensive literature review examines a wide variety of topics concerned with sex role formation as a means of determining the relative contributions of biologic and social forces. The fundamental nature of the gender variable is noted and an analysis is conducted of factors which contribute to sex role formation from birth to adulthood. These factors include the home environment, the educational system and other socializing influences. Differences between socioeconomic classes and cross-cultural variations are also discussed. Research was conducted to assess maturational changes in two aspects of sex role formation: the degree to which subjects' sex roles conform to social stereotypic norms, and the rigidity of each of the two roles. Results show that each sex is most aware of the social expectations contained in their own role stereotype. Also noted is that stereotype rigidity increases linearly over age. Both of these results support the social basis of sex role stereotypes.
Keywords
Sex role in children -- United States, Child development, Socialization
Recommended Citation
Houde, Carol, "Development of Sex Role Perceptions in Children" (1975). Senior Scholar Papers. Paper 427.https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/seniorscholars/427
Copyright
Colby College theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed or downloaded from this site for the purposes of research and scholarship. Reproduction or distribution for commercial purposes is prohibited without written permission of the author.
Comments
Full-text download restricted to Colby College campus only.