Measures of Gender Schematization:Are Pictures as Good as Toys?

ABSTRACT

Thirty preschoolers completed real and hypothetical measures of gender schematization. We measured reaction times in both tasks and used a qualitative schematization measure for the real task. We found that children responded more slowly when making hypothetical choices between two gender-consistent toys than between one gender-consistent toy and one gender-inconsistent toy. Age in months and gender-consistent toy preferences were positively correlated with the qualitative score. Reaction time in the hypothetical toy selection task was correlated with latency of first response in the real task but was unrelated to qualitative scores. We conclude that latency measures in both real and hypothetical tasks are accessing similar aspects of schematization.

INTRODUCTION

Previous research has relied upon hypothetical choice tasks as a means of measuring gender schematization (Carter & Levy, 1988). Although easy to administer, it is possible that a hypothetical toy selection task might be influenced by societal gender expectations. We investigated whether hypothetical tasks are equivalent to real choice measures of schematization.

METHODParticipants

14 3-year-olds (5 girls) and 16 4-year-olds (6 girls)

Children completed 2 measures of schematization

Hypothetical Toy Selection TaskChildren shown pictures of toys that were gender-consistent, gender-inconsistent, and neutral

Asked to select, “the one you would liked to play with”

Reaction time was recorded

For example, for a girl:

Consistent-Inconsistent

Consistent-Neutral

Consistent-Consistent

Inconsistent-Inconsistent

Karen Singer-Freeman & Darcilynn NelsenKaren.Singer-Freeman@purchase.edu

Preference Check Children were shown each picture individually

Asked to indicate, “How much you would like to play with this toy” using a 5-point visual scale

Real Toy Selection TaskChildren were shown a tray with 6 real toys

3 Male stereotypical (2 new, 1 broken)

3 Female stereotypical (2 new, 1 broken)

Asked to select “The toy you want to play with most”

Children chose up to 4 toys

Latency of first choice was recorded and a qualitative score was assigned

RESULTS Preferences

4-year-olds preferred pictures of gender-consistent and neutral toys to pictures of gender inconsistent toys 3-year-olds responded similarly to all types of pictures

Hypothetical Toy Selection Task All children responded more slowly to choices between two gender-consistent items than between other choices

Girls responded more slowly than boys to these contrasts Boys also responded slowly to choices between two inconsistent items

Real Toy Selection TaskMost children responded to this task in a schematized fashionOlder children responded more stereotypically than younger children.

Relationship Between TasksLatency on the hypothetical choice between consistent and inconsistent items was correlated with latency of first response to the real task (r(30) = .49, p < . 01)The qualitative score was not related to either latency measure.Age in months (r(30) = .40, p < . 01) and gender-consistent toy preferences (r(30) = .37, p < . 05) were positively correlated with the qualitative score

DISCUSSIONLatency measures in real and hypothetical tasks are tapping similar aspects of schematizationAlthough our qualitative score does seem to capture a difference between individual children, it remains to be seen whether it is a reliable measure of schematization0

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3 4

Preferences

Consistent

Neutral

Inconsistent

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

Male Female

Hypothetical Choice Reaction Times

Consistent -Consistent

Consistent -Neutral

Inconsistent -Neutral

Inconsistent -Consistent

Inconsistent -Inconsistent

0

2

4

6

8

10

Female Male

Qualitative Score

3-year-olds

4-year-olds

Qualitative Score Toy Selection Order

10 2 or 3 selected from the same group

9 3 from a group , 4th from other group

8 2 from a group, 3rd from other group

7 2 from a group, 2 from other group

6 1 from a group, 3 from other group

Qualitative Score

Toy Selection Order

5 1 from a group, 2 from other group

4 2 from a group, 1 from other group, 1 from 1st group

3 1 from a group, 1 from other group, 1 from 1st group

2 1 from a group, 2 from other group, 1 from 1st group

1 1 from a group, 1 from other group, 1 from 1st group, 1 from other group