Gender Research Study 2

Question 1

Are American women or men more accepting of children’s cross-gender behaviour?

Answer 1

Women

Question 2

3 explanations for different opinions of cross-gender behaviour in boys and girls

Answer 2

1. different status levels associated with masculine and feminine roles -> a girl’s movement into highly-valued male role is more acceptable than a guy’s movement into less-valued female role
2. belief that girls (but not boys) will “grow out” of cross-gender behaviour -> boys predicted to show cross-gender behaviour into adulthood
3. parents fear feminine boys will become gay or transsexual -> concern for future outcomes causes more negative attitude

Question 3

Differences between current study and Martin’s earlier study

Answer 3

• Martin used college students, this study used parents
• Martin used Americans, this study examines Finnish people
• Finnish people have higher levels of education and more gender equality in society than Americans do

Question 4

Which sex is associated with higher levels of social acceptance for cross-gender behaviour?

Answer 4

Girls (“boyish” girls more socially acceptable than “girlish” boys)

Question 5

Who perceived cross-gender behaviour in boys as more socially acceptable?

Answer 5

Fathers

Question 6

Who perceived cross-gender behaviour in girls as more socially acceptable?

Answer 6

Fathers

Question 7

Did the parents/participants rate boys with a feminine personality less positively than girls with a masculine personality?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

Who perceived boys with a feminine personality as more socially acceptable?

Answer 8

Fathers

Question 9

Who perceived girls with a masculine personality as more socially acceptable?

Answer 9

No significant differences between mothers and fathers

Question 10

Did the parents/participants rate cross-gender toy preferences for boys less favorably than cross-gender toy preferences for girls?

Answer 10

Yes

Question 11

Who perceived cross-gender toy preferences for boys more favorably?

Answer 11

Fathers

Question 12

Who perceived cross-gender toy preferences for girls more favorably?

Answer 12

No significant differences between mothers and fathers

Question 13

Who perceived “having a girlish son” more negatively?

Answer 13

No significant differences between mothers and fathers

Question 14

Did the participants believe that “typical” boys would be significantly more masculine as adults than “cross-gender” boys?

Answer 14

Yes

Question 15

Did the participants believe that “cross-gender” boys would be significantly more feminine as adults than “typical” boys?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

Did the participants believe that “typical” girls would be significantly more feminine as adults than “cross-gender” girls?

Answer 16

Yes

Question 17

Did the participants believe that “cross-gender” girls would be more masculine as adults than “typical” girls?

Answer 17

No

Question 18

Did the parents/participants predict that cross-gender boys would be less well-adjusted than cross-gender girls?

Answer 18

Yes

Question 19

Did fathers predict that cross-gender boys would have a greater likelihood of becoming gay in adulthood?

Answer 19

Yes

Question 20

Did the mothers predict that cross-gender girls would have a greater likelihood of becoming a lesbian in adulthood relative to “typical” girls?

Answer 20

No

Question 21

Did the fathers predict that cross-gender girls would have a greater likelihood of becoming a lesbian in adulthood relative to “typical” girls?

Answer 21

No difference - fathers said both were equally as likely to become lesbians

Question 22

Who believed that “typical” children have a greater likelihood of becoming gay or lesbian in adulthood?

Answer 22

Mothers

Question 23

How are the results from this study consistent with the earlier results from Martin’s North American study?

Answer 23

• Boys with cross-gender behaviour are viewed more negatively than girls
• Cross-gender girls were expected to have grown out of masculine characteristics by adulthood, but were predicted to remain less feminine than typical girls
• Cross-gender boys were expected to remain both more feminine and less masculine than typical boys
• Both men and women predicted that cross-gender boys would be less well-adjusted as adults than cross-gender girls
• Men predicted that cross-gender boys are more likely to be gay than typical boys
• Cross-gender behaviour is less acceptable for boys because both cultures have greater fear of future outcomes, fear that it’s more stable, and fear that there’s stronger link between cross-gender behaviour and sexual orientation for boys

Question 24

How are the results from this study inconsistent with the earlier results from Martin’s North American study?

Answer 24

• Finnish fathers appear to be more accepting of boy’s cross-gender behaviour than women, while American mothers have been found to be more accepting
• Less gender conformity was expected in Finland for boys and girls