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Copyright © 2018 by the American Psychological Association. All rights reserved. Except as
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Electronic edition published 2018.
ISBN: 978-1-4338-2885-0 (electronic edition).
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Cover Designer: Nicci Falcone, Gaithersburg, MD
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Weisgram, Erica S., editor. | Dinella, Lisa M., editor.
Title: Gender typing of children’s toys : how early play experiences impact development / edited by
Erica S. Weisgram and Lisa M. Dinella.
Description: First Edition. | Washington, DC : American Psychological Association, [2018] | Includes
bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017038884| ISBN 9781433828867 | ISBN 1433828863
Subjects: LCSH: Child development. | Child psychology. | Toys—Psychological aspects. | Play—
Psychological aspects.
Classification: LCC HQ772 .G37 2018 | DDC 155.4—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017038884
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A CIP record is available from the British Library.
First Edition
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0000077-000
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
To Alex and Benjamin, who show me the joy of play each and every day.
—Erica S. Weisgram
To William and Elizabeth Beldowicz. They inspire me to work hard, play
hard, and use science to make the world a better place. I hope they always
remember that there are no such things as girls’ toys and boys’ toys, just
toys and kids.
—Lisa M. Dinella
CONTENTS
Contributors
Introduction
Erica S. Weisgram and Lisa M. Dinella
I. Toy Preferences and Gender
Chapter 1. Gender Typing of Toys in Historical and Contemporary
Contexts
Erica S. Weisgram
Chapter 2. Research Methods in Studying Gender and Toy Preferences
Lisa M. Dinella
Chapter 3. Gender-Typed Toy Preferences Among Infants and Toddlers
Kristina M. Zosuls and Diane N. Ruble
Chapter 4. Characteristics of Masculine and Feminine Toys and Gender-
Differentiated Play
Isabelle D. Cherney
II. Causes of Children’s Gender-Typed Toy Play
Chapter 5. Sex Hormones and Children’s Gender-Typed Toy Play
Melissa Hines and Jacqueline Davis
Chapter 6. Environmental and Social Contributions to Children’s Gender-
Typed Toy Play: The Role of Family, Peers, and Media
Christia Spears Brown and Ellen A. Stone
Chapter 7. Cognitive Perspectives on Children’s Toy Choices
Carol Lynn Martin and Rachel E. Cook
III. Consequences of Gender-Typed Toy Play
Chapter 8. Impact of Gender-Typed Toys on Children’s Neurological
Development
Lise Eliot
Chapter 9. Fashion or Action? Gender-Stereotyped Toys and Social
Behavior
Sarah K. Murnen
Chapter 10. Cognitive Consequences of Gendered Toy Play
Lynn S. Liben, Kingsley M. Schroeder, Giulia A. Borriello, and Erica S. Weisgram
Chapter 11. Working at Play: Gender-Typed Play and Children’s Visions
of Future Work and Family Roles
Megan Fulcher and Emily F. Coyle
Chapter 12. Societal Causes and Consequences of Gender Typing of
Children’s Toys
Campbell Leaper and Rebecca S. Bigler
Chapter 13. Conclusion: Toward a Greater Understanding of Children’s
Gender-Typed Toy Play
Erica S. Weisgram and Lisa M. Dinella
About the Editors
CONTRIBUTORS
Rebecca S. Bigler, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Women’s and
Gender Studies, The University of Texas at Austin
Giulia A. Borriello, MS, Doctoral Student, The Pennsylvania State
University, University Park
Christia Spears Brown, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of
Kentucky, Lexington, and Director of Social Inequality in
Development Research Group
Isabelle D. Cherney, PhD, Dean of the School of Education and Social
Policy, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA
Rachel E. Cook, MS, Doctoral Student in Family and Human
Development, Arizona State University, Tempe
Emily F. Coyle, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychology, St. Martin’s
University, Lacey, WA
Jacqueline Davis, MPhil, Doctoral Student, University of Cambridge,
Cambridge, England
Lisa M. Dinella, PhD, Principal Investigator, Gender Development
Laboratory; Associate Professor of Psychology; and Affiliated Faculty
Member of Gender Studies; Monmouth University, West Long Branch,
NJ
Lise Eliot, PhD, Professor of Neuroscience, Chicago Medical School of
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, Chicago, IL
Megan Fulcher, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology, Washington and
Lee University, and Director, Washington and Lee Gender Psychology
Lab, Lexington, VA
Melissa Hines, PhD, Professor of Psychology and Director, Gender
Development Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge,
England
Campbell Leaper, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of California,
Santa Cruz
Lynn S. Liben, PhD, McCourtney Professor of Child Studies; Professor of
Psychology; Professor of Education; Professor of Human
Development & Family Studies; and Director of the Cognitive and
Social Development Lab, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park
Carol Lynn Martin, PhD, Cowden Distinguished Professor, T. Denny
Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics; and Executive
Director, Link Enterprise: Bringing People Together in a Diverse
World, Arizona State University, Tempe
Sarah K. Murnen, PhD, Samuel B. Cummings Professor of Psychology,
Kenyon College, Gambier, OH
Diane N. Ruble, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, New York
University, New York
Kingsley M. Schroeder, MS, Doctoral Student, The Pennsylvania State
University, University Park
Ellen A. Stone, PhD, Doctoral Student, Department of Psychology,
University of Kentucky, Lexington
Erica S. Weisgram, PhD, Professor of Psychology, University of
Wisconsin–Stevens Point
Kristina M. Zosuls, PhD, Visiting Faculty/Scholar/Researcher, T. Denny
Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics, Arizona State
University, Tempe
INTRODUCTION
ERICA S. WEISGRAM AND LISA M. DINELLA
Do boys and girls play with different toys? Is there such a thing as a
“girl toy” or a “boy toy?” If boys and girls are interested in and play with
different toys, why do these differences occur? Are there biological factors
that contribute to gender differences in children’s toy interests and play?
Cognitive factors? Social factors? Is it problematic for boys and girls to
play with different toys? What do top scientists say about children’s gender-
typed toy play? What recommendations do these experts make for parents,
educators, and toy developers? As a part of a societal conversation about
gender and toys, these questions, among others, have received considerable
attention in the last 5 years within the psychological literature, social media,
and popular press and have also been considered by parents, scholars,
feminist activists, and even the White House. These questions often lead to
debate among interested parties and do not have clear-cut answers, as the
chapters in this volume illustrate. The scientific literature demonstrates that
gender differences in children’s toy interests and play are complex in their
presence and causes, as well as their consequences for child development.
We do know that gender differences are present in children’s toy
interests and choices. Numerous studies have shown that boys, on average,
are more interested than girls in toys such as vehicles, action figures, and
sporting equipment—toys that are often considered by society to be “boys’
toys” (or masculine toys, as they will be called throughout this volume).
Girls, on average, are more interested than boys in toys such as baby dolls,
fashion dolls, and princess dresses and accessories—toys that are often
considered by society to be “girls’ toys” (i.e., feminine toys). Boys’ and
girls’ toy interests both contribute to and are derived from these
classifications, illustrating one of the complex issues within the literature.
What makes a toy a masculine or feminine toy? Imagine a new toy has
been developed for an upcoming holiday season. When the new toy is
introduced, it is marketed as the “Top New Toy for Girls” and includes a
picture of only girls on the pink and purple packaging or marketing
materials. The explicit and implicit labels used in the advertising and
packaging of the toy may consequently create a greater interest among girls
than boys. However, one can imagine an alternative scenario, in which a toy
is marketed to both boys and girls by omitting explicit and implicit labels. If
girls become more interested in the toy, regardless of the gender-neutral
marketing, does the toy become stereotyped by society as a feminine toy?
These scenarios illustrate the complexity of gender typing of toys
OUR GOALS
In this volume, we bring together top scholars from the field of
developmental psychology to contribute their expertise about gender, toys,
and play. These esteemed scholars discuss a constellation of topics about
gender and toy play while relying heavily on the scientific literature. The
authors in this volume, ourselves included, share the goal of understanding
how gender differences in children’s interests may emerge, what
consequences gender-typed toy play has for children’s development, and
how we can break down gender stereotypes about toys.
The first part of this volume presents a general introduction to the
topic of gender-typed toys and play. Erica S. Weisgram (Chapter 1) begins
by discussing the reasons it is important to study gender and children’s toy
interests, providing a brief history of gender-typed toys, and summarizing
the recent conversations in American society about gender typing of
children’s toys. Lisa M. Dinella (Chapter 2) then presents a review and
critique of the methodology that is commonly used to study gender and
toys. Kristina M. Zosuls and Diane N. Ruble (Chapter 3) present a thorough
discussion of gender differences in infants’ toy interests and play patterns,
and consider the role of cognitive constructs such as gender identification in
these interests and behaviors. Isabelle D. Cherney (Chapter 4) broadly
examines gender-typed toys, the implications of gender-typed toys and play,
and the features that denote each toy type, such as explicit and implicit
gender labels.
In the second part of this volume, the chapter authors illuminate the
factors that may contribute to gender differences in children’s toy interests
and play patterns. Melissa Hines and Jacqueline Davis (Chapter 5) discuss
biological factors that may contribute to these differences with an emphasis
on the role of prenatal testosterone. Christia Spears Brown and Ellen A.
Stone (Chapter 6) discuss the social agents that impact children’s interests
and behaviors, highlighting the role of parents, peers, and media and
advertising. To close Part II, Carol Lynn Martin and Rachel E. Cook
(Chapter 7) review prominent theories of gender development, illustrating
the importance of gender identity, gender schemas, and stereotype
construction and endorsement in the development of children’s interests and
behaviors.
The final part of this volume reflects on the consequences of gender-
typed toy play. In sum, the authors examine how playing predominantly
with gender-typed toys may lead to gender differences in development that
extend into adulthood. Lise Eliot (Chapter 8) discusses the importance of
play from a biological and evolutionary perspective and the potential
consequences of gender differentiated play for biological and neural
development. Next, Sarah K. Murnen (Chapter 9) highlights the
consequences of gender-typed toys and play for social development,
including the development of nurturing behaviors, sexualization of girls,
and aggressive behaviors. Lynn S. Liben, Kingsley M. Schroeder, Giulia A.
Borriello, and Erica S. Weisgram (Chapter 10) discuss the role of toys and
play in the development of cognitive skills and how gender differences in
toy interests and play patterns may contribute to gender differentiation of
these skills. Next, Megan Fulcher and Emily F. Coyle (Chapter 11) discuss
the long-term consequences of gender-typed toys and play for individuals’
work and family roles as adults. Specifically, they reflect on how play with
masculine and feminine toys may differentially prepare men and women for
social roles or constrain their visions for their future. Campbell Leaper and
Rebecca S. Bigler (Chapter 12) shift the conversation to how society’s
gender typing of toys can have consequences for the development and
maintenance of gender stereotypes. They also highlight evidence-based
practices for intervention to encourage diversity in children’s toy play and
attenuate the negative consequences of gender-typed toy play. In the
Conclusion (Chapter 13), the volume editors echo the many authors’ calls
for additional research on gender, toys, and play. We outline gaps in the
scientific literature where further research is needed, and discuss the type of
methodology that may best address the issues at hand. We also conclude
that evidence supports the need for a reduction of gender stereotypes about
toys in our society. Achieving this goal will allow children to follow their
own interests without gender limits and help them develop a wide range of
skills that will benefit them in the future.
We hope that this volume will inform scholars, parents, educators,
feminist activists, policymakers, and executives in the toy industry who
seek a deeper understanding of gender and toys. We also hope that these
pages will inspire more research into the gendered nature of children’s toys
and play—research that continuously answers and poses interesting and
important questions to advance the psychological literature.
