Fagot et al. (1978)

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Created by
Sukaina Mustaf

Cards (8)

  • Aim: 
    To investigate parental reactions to gender-specific behaviors in young children and their role in gender socialization.
  • Method:

    • Design: Observational study with questionnaire
    • Participants: 24 families (12 with boys, 12 with girls), children aged 20-24 months
    • Tools: Observation checklist, questionnaire on gender role socialization
  • Procedure:

    1. Five 60-minute observations conducted for each family over five weeks
    2. Time sampling used, noting child's behavior every 60 seconds and parents' response
    3. Two observers used to establish inter-coder reliability
    4. Parents completed questionnaire on gender role socialization after observations
  • Results:

    1. Parents reacted more favorably to gender-preferred behaviors
    2. Children more likely to receive negative responses for gender-incongruent behaviors
    3. Girls received more positive responses for adult-oriented, dependent behavior
    4. Discrepancy between parents' stated beliefs (in questionnaire) and observed behavior
  • Conclusion: 

    Parents unconsciously reinforce gender-specific behaviors in young children, contributing to the enculturation of gender roles. This process occurs even when parents are not explicitly aware of their differential treatment based on gender.
  • Strengths:
    1. Naturalistic observation increases ecological validity
    2. Use of multiple observations over time increases reliability
    3. Inter-coder reliability enhances objectivity of observations
    4. Combination of observational data and questionnaire allows comparison between explicit beliefs and actual behavior
    5. Focus on very young children (20-24 months) provides insight into early gender socialization
  • Limitations:

    1. Small sample size (24 families) limits generalizability
    2. Potential for observer bias or Hawthorne effect (parents modifying behavior due to being observed)
    3. Limited to one cultural context, may not apply across different cultures
    4. Cross-sectional design doesn't allow for long-term effects to be studied
    5. Doesn't account for other influences on gender socialization (e.g., media, peers)
    6. Possible ethical concerns regarding informed consent of young children
  • This study highlights the early onset of gender role enculturation and the subtle ways in which parents may reinforce gender stereotypes