Young children's gender development

Abstract

Gender is one of the most salient influences on children's social development. As infants, girls and boys are often difficult to distinguish, yet from birth onward gender matters and is defined within the child's cultural context. Differential gender socialization determines children's names, howthey are dressed, the toys they are given, the playmates they interact with, as well as their chores, responsibilities, and education. Nevertheless, in many modern industrialized societies, gender differences have begun to blur with similarities in educational opportunities, occupations, and domestic activities. Cultural expectations about gender shape children's gender identities, roles, stereotypes, social interactions, and other aspects of gender. These facets of gender development are the focus of the present chapter.