EFFECTS OF THE SEX OF A PARTNER ON PRESCH OOLERS BEHAVIOR DURING PLAYINTERACTIONS

This study was designed to investigate the effects of the sex of a par tner and the type of toys on preschool age children's behavior during dyadic play interactions. Fifty-one preschoolers paired with a same-se x peer or a cross-sex peer were observed when they were playing with o ne of three types of toys : masculine-typed, feminine -typed, and neut ral toys. The results indicated that the sex of a partner influenced c hildren's behavior during play interactions with masculine-typed or fe minine-typed toys in several points. Children, for example, shared mas culine-typed or feminine -typed toys when they were paired with a same -sex peer, but when paired with a cross -sex peer, they would not shar e the toys. Especially, girls were found to be less active in their be havior toward a cross-sex peer than toward a same-sex peer, It was als o found that children's behavior toward a same-sex peer was not substa ntially related to their behavior toward a cross-sex peer. Considering these findings, it was suggested that social behavior in children sho uld be understood in relation to their interactive partners.