(See also the notes we didn't get to from last class.)



socialization: process by which children acquire the standards, values, and knowledge of their society



Rubin, Provenzano, & Luria, 1974:

- parents of boys said babies were heartier, stronger, big

- parents of girls said babies were softer little, beautiful, cute,



Smith & Lloyd, 1978 -- showed SAME baby to mothers; baby was treated differently depending on what gender they said it was.

Jack-in-the-box study



Who enforces gender roles?

- parents

- other kids (sex segregated play, labeling toys)

- media



Sex: "nature" -- anatomical, hormonal reproductive differences



Gender: "nurture" -- socialized behaviors that baby learns from parents, other family, and culture.



Gender development timeline:

About 2: kids can report their gender

gender stability comes later - kids know they can't switch to become opposite sex.

3-4: kids can identify other people's gender

4-5: gender constancy (appearance changes don't alter gender).



Mary Leinbach -studied children's ability to pick up abstract cues about masculine and feminine.



How disastrous would it be to switch from the "wrong" gender (not consistent with your biological sex) to the right one at puberty?