The Psychological Effects of Gender Stereotyping

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Gender-type Preferences

Evidence has demonstrated that parents tend to dress their children, usually babies based on their gender for example: boy dressed in blue and girls dressed in pink (LoBue and SeLoache,2011). Similarly, such stereotypical views regarding gender typed clothing in regards to children is formed as part of the gender social category, which is defined through a set of shared beliefs within a culture about attributes that men and women should require and have (Navarro,2014). Thus, gender is considered a social construct and not just seen as a product of human biology (Matud,2004), it is important to note that there has not been any evidence that suggests girls prefer and/or have a special preference for the colour pink (LoBue and DeLoache,2011). There is a clear controversy throughout the literature due to the causes of gender-typed preferences for the colours pink and blue some data acknowledges that such preferences arise solely from socio-cognitive process of gender development (Himes and Wong,2015). Throughout the decades’ gender stereotypes have been representative of masculinity and femininity these social dimensions include stereotypes based on personality traits for example; males tend to be independent, assertive and strong whereas females tend to be seen as sensitive, emotional and more people-orientated (Navarro,2014). In light of this Jadva,Hines and Golombok(2010) conducted a research that demonstrated gender differences in relation to colour preferences becoming more evident in children by the age of 3. The research aims to demonstrate the preference for different toys,colours and shapes amongst 120 infants aged 12,18 and 24 months within the United Kingdom Jadva, Hines and Golombok (2010) found that cars were more appealing to boys than to girls their results also showed that there was no significant interest in the colours of the toys in younger infants until the age of 3.However Jadva, Hines and Golombok(2010) argued that the gender differences among toys most preferred by the two sexes is a learned process and could possibly contribute to gender differences in relation to colours. This can be seen when looking at toys more commonly played/given to boys’ or girls’ for example; girls learn to like the colour pink as most of the toys they are expected to play with are pink or pastel colours and similarly for the boys’. These findings suggest that socio-cognitive influences have a direct link to gender-typed colours in toys amongst toddlers (Himes and Wong,2015). In light of this, the importance of gender stereotypes undergoes an interpersonal process determining the role in social perceptions and expectations, self-concept development, and also in establishing social relationships with other individuals (LoBue and DeLoache,2011). Additionally, Ruble et al (2007) claims that gender-related cognitive process has been associated with gender typed colour preferences, specifically gender-typed behaviors as it could be implicated through self-socialisation after children have developed gender identity. This study provided supporting evidence that gender color-coding influences the toy preferences of young children. Although young children’s preferences for gender-typical toys were unaffected by colour, they were more likely to play with gender-atypical toys that had a colour typical for their sex than ones that did not (Halim et al.,2014; LoBue & DeLoache,2011).

These findings have significant implications for the understanding of how gender stereotyping through colours psychologically affects children. It is clear from the literature that both young children and adults are aware of the colour stereotype “pink is for girls, and blue is for boys” as research suggested that the choice of colours in toys among children tend to be based on which colour is associated with the gender that they can relate and identify to the most (LoBue and DeLoache, 2011).

The concept of gender is associated with an individual’s sexual orientation through their psychological, behavioral, or cultural traits (Desmond,1997). Thus, in gender differentiation occurs during a persons’ lifespan at a vast variety of domains comparison these include activities, careers, cognitive abilities, traits, and behaviors (Dinella et al, 2014). Moreover, gender differentiation within young children is important as it has a fundamental impact on aspects of young children’s daily experience and in turn the type of play toy children engage with may shape their cognitive abilities and social development (Dinelle et al, 2014). In contrast to the differences in gender identity between boys and girl, one should take into consideration the gender constancy and being able to label oneself and others in terms of gender is a fundamental step in achieving gender identity. Lastly gender identity is multidimensional, and its components vary according to gender, ethnicity, and sexual orientation however it important to remember that social, cultural and religious environments/ upbringings also influence and play a key role in gender identity.

What is now needed is a cross-national study involving young children within the same demograph previously exlored in this paper, further studies could asses the long term psycholigical affects of gender stereotyping in colours. In addition to this controlled trials could also prove effective in determining factors that influence young childrens decisions in the types of toys they play with and also the colour of the toys they play with. The findings of this study have a number of important implications for future pracitice.

Reference

Block, J, H. (1983). ‘Differential premises arising from differential socialization of the sexes’. Child Development. vol, 54, pp. 1335-1354.

Chiu, S, W., Gervan, S., Fairbrother, C., Johnson, L, L., Owen-Anderson, A, F. and Bradley, S, J. (2006). ‘Sex-dimorphic color preference in children with gender identity disorder: A comparison to clinical and community controls’. Sex Roles. vol, 55, pp. 385-395.

Desmond, M. (1997). The Human Sexes: A national history of man and woman. England: Network Books. pp, 12-13.

Eccles, S, J. and Schoon, I. (2014). Gender Differences in Aspirations and Attainment: A life course perspective. England: Cambridge University Press. pp, 269.

Hines, M. and Wong, I, W. (2015). ‘Preferences for Pink and Blue: The Development of Colour preferences as a distinct gender-typed behaviour in toddlers’. Archives of Sexual Behaviour. vol, 44, no.5, pp. 122-231.

Karniol, R. (2011). ‘The colour of children’s gender stereotpes’. Sex roles.