Question

Based on your own example, OR your observation, give 2 or more examples of differential gender socialization in childhood, and adolescence and in which period do you think the “difference” was most pronounced. How do you think this impacts youth in general today? Provide an example to demonstrate your point.

Answer 1

During childhood, a subtle example of how differential gender socialisation occurs is the provision of play items by parents to their children. Parents are more likely to provide toy vehicles, action figures, and sports equipment for their sons; and they are more likely to give dolls, kitchen sets, and dress-up toys to their daughters. During the further course of development, children learn about gender based expectations regarding personality traits (e.g., “boys are aggressive”), abilities (e.g., “girls are bad drivers”), activities (e.g., “women perform kitchen duties”), and roles (e.g., “men are scientists”).

The gender roles and expectations set out since childhood affects how individuals conceptualise gender and thefrefore their identity during adolescence and adulthood. For instance, women are associated with roles relating to household responsibilities and child rearing. This can be traced to their childhood itself and their play items wherein they are provided with dolls and kitchen sets. This subtly reinforces the existing gender stereotypes.