.
Introduction and Background
This research group was assigned the topic of Gender Identity and Stereotyping. As a group we discussed why we chose this topic and how it affects us in our lives. We first has to come up with the definition of gender. However before the definition is given there needs to be some explanation of some termonlogy.
Most people think gender is the sex that we were assigned at birth. Upon further study this research group found that gender is more of a psychological process that children go through to acquire the characteristics of male or female in their prescribed cultures.(Child Development third addition)
Gender Stereotyping is the expectation or belief that individuals within a certain culture hold about the behaviors that are characteristics of male or female in their given culture. As a research group we talked about how gender stereotyping can influence a childs development. This research group also talked about what types of stereotyping might affect the child’s development and who has the most affect on a child’s gender development. (Child Development third addition)
As a group we came up with some questions about gender stereotyping that we discussed and that we wanted to research.
The group came up with one question about gender stereotyping that we wanted to research the question is How Preschool and Kindergarten aged children are influenced by gender stereo typing in their development. The question was divided into seven parts. They include: How parents influence a child, how peers influence a child, how books influence a child, how toys influence a child, and how television and siblings influence a child’s development.
This research project Involved a questionnaire that was given out haphazardly to various individuals within the groups community. The questionnaire was responded to by fifty individuals, all of which responded to it and gave it back. We took the answers and compiled them and started our research from the answers that were given.
(Delores, Cynthia, research paper) .
