Children and Gender Roles

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how both male and female children in our society are socialized from a very young age to behave in specific, predefined ways that are considered to be appropriate for their genders. It looks at how, beginning with the parents of children and then including many other influential factors in society, many sources define what type of behavior is to be expected from children of each gender. Male and female children of all ages are given guidelines to follow regarding proper interaction with others and acceptable behavior in social situations.

From the Paper:

"A reflection of how gender roles are determined and enforced in society can be seen in a number of sources. For one example, research has shown that children's literature is influenced by gender role definitions, as well as helping to make and encourage those definitions. " In children's literature, males typically are portrayed as competent and achievement oriented, while the image of females is that they are limited in what they do, and less competent in their ability to accomplish things. Female characters are involved in few of the activities and assigned few of the characteristics or goals that are accorded prestige and esteem in our society." (Kortenhaus) This separation of the abilities of boys versus girls in something as influential as children's literature creates something of a self-fulfilling prophecy."

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