Children's interpretation of ambiguous behavior: Evidence for a 'boys are bad' bias

Authors
Citation
Gd. Heyman, Children's interpretation of ambiguous behavior: Evidence for a 'boys are bad' bias, SOC DEV, 10(2), 2001, pp. 230-247
Citations number
53
Categorie Soggetti
Psycology
Journal title
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
ISSN journal
0961205X → ACNP
Volume
10
Issue
2
Year of publication
2001
Pages
230 - 247
Database
ISI
SICI code
0961-205X(2001)10:2<230:CIOABE>2.0.ZU;2-3
Abstract
Possible gender-related evaluative biases were investigated among a group o f 64 second and third graders (ages dy 11m to 9y 7m). Participants were sho wn photographs of 8 unfamiliar children, and were told that each had perfor med a particular behavior: Each of the behaviors was consistent with multip le interpretations including a positive interpretation and a negative inter pretation. When the unfamiliar peers were male, participants were move like ly to remember behaviors in unfavorable ways and to select more negative at tributions for the behavior This pattern of results held even among male pa rticipants, who reported greater expectations of liking the male peers.