Fagot Study (socio, development)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To determine if parents reinforce same-gender behaviors and discorouge cross-gender behaviors

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

• Sample: approx 25 white middle-class, nuclear families with one child (20-24 month old toddlers)
• Undergrad researchers ade observations (in-person and videotaped of child behaviors and parent reactions
  based on checklist
  
  • Included “sex-preferred behaviors”
• Interview and questionnaire were conducted with parents post-study regarding their reactions to cross-gender
  behaviors

Question 3

Findings

Answer 3

• Parents reached significantly more favorably when child engaged in gender-appropriate behavior
• Parents were more likely to give negative responses to gender inappropriate behaviors
• Parents’ perceptions of their behaviors with children did not correlate with what was observed by the
  researchers (not a conscious behavior)
• Supports idea that parents reinforce gender-stereotypical behaviors even if they are not aware of it

Question 4

Strengths

Answer 4

• Reduced researcher bias (checklist was developed
  by Fagot and other researchers)
• Reactivity may have been reduced as families
  were in their own homes

Question 5

Limitations

Answer 5

• Temporal validity
• Sampling bias
• Participants’ homes might not have contained all
  of the toys on the checklist

Question 6

Ethical considerations

Answer 6

• Deception (parents knew that what behaviors
  were going to be observed but didn’t realize that
  correlations between gender and reactions was the focus)

Question 7

Research Method

Answer 7

• Naturalistic observations or interview