EYEGLASSES AND CHILDRENS SCHEMATA

The role of framed eyeglasses in children's person schemata was examin ed. American first graders (35 girls, 36 boys), rated by their teacher s as low, medium, or high in cognitive development, judged peers photo graphed with and without glasses for physical attractiveness, school p erformance, conduct, sociability, and sociometric choice. There was a general same-sex bias in the children's ratings. The stimulus persons tended to be rated lower in attractiveness (especially if they were gi rls), school performance, and conduct when they were wearing glasses t han when they were not wearing glasses. Glasses negatively influenced sociometric choice, but only for the most cognitively developed childr en. These results indicated that adults' stereotypes about people who wear glasses eventually become part of children's person schemata.