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Gender stereotypes of parents with two-year-olds and beliefs about gender differences in behavior

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Abstract

A sample of British parents of two-year-olds was asked about gender-related adult roles, beliefs about gender differences in children's behavior, and whether they perceived their own child in terms of gender-specific behaviors. The majority of the children were perceived as conforming to gender stereotypes, and in particular, boys were seen this way by fathers. Parents cited as evidence behavior that corresponds closely to the content of adult sex role inventories. The parents were not positive about changes in the traditional gender-related work/child care division of labor.

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McGuire, J. Gender stereotypes of parents with two-year-olds and beliefs about gender differences in behavior. Sex Roles 19, 233–240 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00290157

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