This document discusses three research studies on the influence of gender roles and identities in families. The first study examined toddlers and found they begin stereotyping activities at a young age. The second studied adolescents over nine years and how their attitudes developed in relation to their birth order and parents' traditions. The third focused on how gender role conflicts in adolescent males impacted their resilience. The author conducted a survey of two families - a large family and small family - and found the large family interviewee was more influenced by brothers while growing up but now by her mother, while the small family interviewee was most influenced by his father. Families can influence gender identities through factors like family size, gender mix, values, and traditions.

1. Gendered Families By Sagan O’Bryan Soc. 235; Gender Roles: Diversity Erica Dixon

2. My Interest I come from a large family full of boys and I have noticed from my personal experience and throughout classroom discussions how families have an important role in gender roles/identities. I wanted to know how others felt from both large and small families. Did either their siblings and/or parents influenced them in their gender roles and identity.

3. Background Information I used three different research studies The first research study is based off of young toddlers, male and females, ranging in the ages of 24 months to 31 months. The second research study is based on adolescences first born both male and female, their brother and sister siblings, and the traditions the parents contribute or not to the family. The last research study is focused on adult males ages 18-24 years of age and their conflict of gender roles.

4. Research Study # 1 “Men Don’t Put on Make-up: Toddlers’ Knowledge of the Gender Stereotyping of Household Activities” from Social Development. Conducted in 2002 this study dealt with young toddlers, male and female, ranging in the ages of 24 months to 31 months. Stereotyping can happen at a young age and continue through the growth and development of a child until they are adults

5. Research Study # 1 Diane Poulin-Dubois, Lisa A. Serbin, Julie A. Eichstedt, Maya G. Sen, and Clara F. Beissel have stated that “Traditionally, these gender schemas were thought to develop only after children have developed gender identity, as assessed by children’s ability to label the sexes or identify themselves as girls or boys”

6. Research Study # 2 “Development of Gender Attitude Traditionality Across Middle Childhood and Adolescence” from Child Development. This study was done over a period of 9 years with 402 participants. The basics of this research was “focused on how traditional or flexible youth are in their attitudes about others’ behavior” The children studied was depended on child stands in the birth order, their siblings, and how the parents interact with the children.

7. Research Study # 3 “The Effects of Gender Role Conflict on Adolescent and Emerging Adult Male Resiliency” from Journal of Men’s Study. The Study is based on older adult boys and their gender role conflicts when they transitioning from adolescences to adults and how they resilience or recover from it.

8. My Hypothesis For those who came from larger or smaller families, would the siblings or parents have more of an impact on gender roles of that individual.

9. METHOD; Survey I used a survey asking specific questions on family size, siblings, parent involvement, and interaction to help get my answers. I used two families and compared the two; A traditional family- Father, Mother, Son and Daughter. A gendered family- Father, Mother, with multiple children. I interviewed one sibling from each family.

10. And the Survey Says. . . The Survey: Influences on gender identity in families large and small. (*Optional) *Name: *Age: Male/Female: Are both parents involved in your family? How traditional is your family? How many siblings do you have? (Brothers, Sisters, Half and Step)? Do you feel more masculine or feminine? Where are you among the siblings? (first born, second, ect?) Growing up did your siblings or parents influence you more (detailed)? Has that changed as you grew older? Who would you go to first when you had a problem? (Mom, Dad, sibling?) Did you look up to a sibling and/or parent? *If you are older* Did you have a sibling look up to you?

11. The Results Are In. . . ! After comparing the two families: The large family of 6 I interview the 2nd born who was female, she had three male siblings. From having a variety of people to go to I came to the conclusion she was influenced mainly by her brothers as she states she was a “tomboy” growing up. But continuing into adulthood she has been influenced more now by her mother. The small family of 4 I interviewed the first born, male. He had a younger sister. Resulting from his survey I concluded that he looked up to his father for influence, which has continued through his whole life. On occasion he relied on his mother, but his father was the main reason for his course in identity.

12. Diagram

13. Conclusion: Families do have some influence on a members gender identity and roles. Things though to consider are: Family size Different sexes within the family Family value Family tradition Family involvement Environment

14. Works Cited Crouter, A., Whiteman, S., McHale, S., & Osgood, D. (2007). Development of Gender Attitude Traditionality Across Middle Childhood and Adolescence. Child Development, 78(3), 911-926. doi:10.1111/j.1467- 8624.2007.01040.x. Galligan, S., Barnett, R., Brennan, M., & Israel, G. (2010). THE EFFECTS OF GENDER ROLE CONFLICT ON ADOLESCENT AND EMERGING ADULT MALE RESILIENCY. Journal of Men's Studies, 18(1), 3-21. doi:10.3149/jms.1801.3. Poulin-Dubois, D., Serbin, L., Eichstedt, J., Sen, M., & Beissel, C. (2002). Men Don’t Put on Make-up: Toddlers’ Knowledge of the Gender Stereotyping of Household Activities. Social Development, 11(2), 166-181. Retrieved from Academic Search Complete database.