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“Snips and snails and puppy dog tails”: Gender of agent, recipient, and observer as determinants of perceptions of discipline

Sex Roles volume 12, pages 853–865 (1985)Cite this article

Abstract

This study examined the role of gender of observer, parent, and child on judgments of the severity, appropriateness, and consequences of various forms of discipline. Young adults read stories describing a disciplinary encounter between parent and child and made required judgments. Consistent gender differences emerged. Females judged the discipline more harshly than males, rating it as more severe, more abusive, less appropriate, and more likely to result in emotional harm. Discipline of daughters was judged to be harsher than identical treatment of sons, particularly when the discipline was administered by the father. The implications of differential judgments are discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Trinity College, 06106, Hartford, Connecticut

    Sharon D. Herzberger

  2. University of Connecticut Heath Center, USA

    Howard Tennen

Authors
  1. Sharon D. Herzberger
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  2. Howard Tennen
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Herzberger, S.D., Tennen, H. “Snips and snails and puppy dog tails”: Gender of agent, recipient, and observer as determinants of perceptions of discipline. Sex Roles 12, 853–865 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287877

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287877

Keywords

  • Young Adult
  • Gender Difference
  • Social Psychology
  • Identical Treatment
  • Emotional Harm