User:Lromescal/Gender roles in childhood

Copied From: Gender roles in childhood

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The social impacts of imposing gender roles on children become evident very early in life and usually follow the child as they continue their development^{[citation needed]}. It is most observable when they interact with other members of their age group^{[citation needed]}. For example, social environments during childhood have a huge influence on the significance of gender roles and self-identity growing up. These social environments could be extended to adult roles such as parents, social media, and school. A child's peers serve as both an archetype and a sounding board for the proper way to express themselves^{[citation needed]}.

One of the earliest signs of gender differences in play patterns is the appearance of gender-segregated play groups and toy preferences^{[citation needed]}. It's important to highlight the role that age plays in toy preference. In a study the children were given gender-type toys and their findings concluded that for boys at 17 months, 25% of these children used gender labels and by 21 months 68% used these gender labels, while girls tend to use more gender labels by 18 months. Boys tend to be more "rough and tumble" in their play, while girls shy away from this aggressive behavior, leading to the formation of separate play groups.

By surrounding themselves with members of the same sex, children are placing themselves in a situation where they more readily accept and conform to accepted gender roles. In a study, it was found that the use of toys had an influence on the cognitive skills of children. For example, if a child tends to use more feminine toys such as a doll they would be associated with a more nurturing nature, whereas a child using masculine toys they are associated with more aggressive behavior as well as spatial skills.