Objective:The study examined the degree to which toys are gender stereotyped and whether the toys identified as gender appropriate differ for parents and nonparents.

Related past findings: Parents play with their child’s gender-same toys longer, react more positively to gender-same toys, and are more critical of cross-sexed toys. (Langolis and Downs 1243) Fathers use toys to socialize their children differently based on sex, and there is evidence that this gender-based socialization begins as early as the first year of the child’s life. (Snow, Jacklin, and Maccobby 231) It appears there may be more stereotyping for boys. Parents tend to choose masculine and neutral toys more often for their sons, but choose neutral toys more often than feminine or masculine toys for their daughters. (Eisenberg, Wolchik, Hermandez, and Pasternack 1509) Children reliably prefer toys deemed appropriate to their gender. (Conner and Serbin) Parental influence is suggested by findings that gender appropriate toy choices often match parents’ toy choices and preferences. (Peretti and Sidney 213) In a more direct assessment of adults’ selections of toys for children, it was found that toys purchased for children under the age of three, were less likely to be gender stereotyped. (Fisher-Thompson 299)

This experiment…

Parents and nonparents were asked to fill out a questionnaire and then rate 206 toys as either being female oriented (=1), gender neutral (=5), male oriented (=9), or any number in-between as they saw fit. One survey was for all ages of children and another was for children under two.

The Findings…

--The toys found to be most appropriate by both parents and nonparents for girls included items pertaining to domestic tasks, beauty enhancement, and child rearing (e.g. makeup, jewelry, kitchen set, vacuum cleaner, stroller, and cradle). (Campenni 5)

--For boys, sports gear, male action figures, vehicles, building items, plastic bugs, and attire for traditionally male occupations were rated most appropriate by both nonparents and parents. (Campenni 5)

--It is interesting to note that only educational books and bicycles were rated as gender-neutral by both parents and nonparents. (Campenni 5)

--In all instances, nonparents’ ratings were more gender stereotyped than parents. This suggests that while interactions between children and adults may not influence what toys are gender appropriate, these parent-child interactions may influence the flexibility of adult perception regarding the degree of gender appropriateness with less extreme emphasis on exclusive categorization of female and masculine toys. (Campenni 6)

--Parents unanimously labeled 31 toys as gender-neutral and included such things as checkers, cameras, balloons, finger paints, pianos, puzzles, and roller skates. (Campenni 5)

--Mothers and fathers did not differ in their ratings of neutral toys regardless of the sex of their child(ren). However ratings of feminine and masculine toys indicated that there were differences among parents based on their sex and the sex of their child(ren). (Campenni 8)

--Ratings of feminine toys as more gender-stereotyped than masculine toys is consistent with and provides further support for the finding that boys are discouraged form and consequently avoid playing with feminine toys while girls d o not receive this message regarding cross-sex toys. (Campenni 9)

--Stereotyping is less evident for the toys deemed most appropriate for infants and toddlers, especially for female-gendered toys. (Campenni 9)
 

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