Gender And Relationship Of Children :: essays research papers

Gender and Relationship of ChildrenIntroduction     The topic of sex differences in the play preschoolers has been exploredby many researchers in the past. Studies have been conducted on grassroots sexdifferences such as what toys and gender of playmates do young boys and girlsprefer. The sizing of childrens play networks, as well as if these networkschange in the coat during the preschool years have been explored. Also,differences in sorts of play and the particular of imperative and damaginginteractions have been examined. The effect that parents have on their sons anddaughters, as well as preschool classrooms and teachers have been examined aspossible causes of sex differences during play.     The aim of this paper is to critically review the recent literature inthis field and determine whether or not sex differences occur in play. If sexdifferences occur, the possible reasons for this occurrence will also beexamined.Review of the Res earch Section     Maccoby (1990) summarized a number of studies to support her hypothesisthat suggests different social situations may every heighten or suppress sexdifferences in behaviour.     One pack was that of social interaction between pairs of young children(Jacklin & Maccoby, 1978). Pairs of 33-month old children were brought unitedlyin the same-sex or mixed-sex in a laboratory playroom, and the amount and mannequinof social behaviour directed to a greater extent social behaviour, both positive and negative,to same sex playmates that opposite sex ones. Girls paired with boys were more presumable to stand watching their partners, or withdraw towards an adult, than boysin any coupler or girls playing with girls. The point brought up in this athletic fieldis that synergetic behaviour is not just situationly specific, it also dependson the gender of participants.      some of the reasons given by Maccoby (1990 ) for attractor to same sexpartners and avoidance of otherwise sex partners in childhood are the rough playstyle of boys and their orientation towards competition and dominance. Anotherreason is that girls find it difficult to entrance boys. An example of suchreasoning is supported by a study done by Poulishta (1987). Preschool aged boy-girl pairs were observed competing for an object. The children were given achance to use a movie-viewer that could only be used by one child at a time. Itseemed while pairs were alone in the playroom the boys dominated the movie-viewer. When an adult was present, however, this did not occur, The adultspresence seemed to inhibit the boys more power assertive techniques resultingin equal access. This supports the reason why the attraction to same sex