Measures of Gender Schematization: Are Pictures as Good as Toys?
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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 [email protected]
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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Preferences
Consistent
Neutral
Inconsistent
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Male Female
Hypothetical Choice Reaction Times
Consistent -Consistent
Consistent -Neutral
Inconsistent -Neutral
Inconsistent -Consistent
Inconsistent -Inconsistent
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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