Abstract
The sex-typed toy play of 10-, 14-, and 18-month-old infants and their parents' behaviors toward their activities were observed during a laboratory play session. Girls were more likely to play with and offer dolls to parents than boys at all ages. Mothers and fathers treated sons and daughters very similarly. However, the sex and the age of the infant affected parental behaviors toward children's toy play. The data suggest that, contrary to previous claims regarding fathers as the chief sex role socialization agents, mothers and fathers may be equally involved in the socialization of sons and daughters.
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This report was supported by a grant from the College of Family Life and the W-144 Project at Utah State University. The author thanks the families for the participation, and Carla Seamons, Joan Wareham, and Maria Norton for their assistance with the data analysis.
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Roopnarine, J.L. Mothers' and fathers' behaviors toward the toy play of their infant sons and daughters. Sex Roles 14, 59–68 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287848
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00287848