GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EMOTIONAL CLOSENESS BETWEEN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN AND THEIR MOTHERS

The emotional closeness between mothers and their children was examine d to determine if mother-daughter pails exhibit closer emotional relat ionships than mother-son pairs. Forty-one mother-child predominantly C aucasian dyads were videotaped during a semistructured play setting, T he children were 4 (10 males and 10 females) and 5 years of age (10 ma les and II females). Emotional closeness was defined as physical proxi mity mutual eye contact and global level of enjoyment. Results demonst rated that compared to boys, girls were physically closer to their mot hers, engaged in more mutual eye contact with their mothers, and were rated higher on global enjoyment. Results are consistent with Chodorow 's theory that gender identity development is related to the emotional relationships that develop between children and their mothers.