Sex Differences in the Complexity of Children's Play and Games

Lever, Janet

doi:10.2307/2094773

Cited by 324 publications

(146 citation statements)

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Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 63%

“…Interestingly, a study in which popularity also was examined found a very large effect for popular youth favoring boys but no significant difference for unpopular youth (Ladd, 1983). The effects for youth who were average in popularity and for youth in the other studies that did not account for popularity (Lever, 1976(Lever, , 1978 were small to medium.One might assume that because boys interact with same-sex peers in groups more frequently than do girls (at least by six years of age), girls interact in dyads more frequently than do boys. However, the findings regarding dyadic interaction are not that simple.…”

mentioning

confidence: 63%

“…That is, Benenson and colleagues found no sex difference in the frequency of group interaction for four year olds but a large effect favoring boys for six year olds (Benenson, Apostoleris, & Parness, 1997). Consistent with these findings, studies examining the number of children in playgroups generally reveal larger playgroup sizes for boys than girls in middle childhood (Ladd, 1983, Lever, 1976, 1978. Interestingly, a study in which popularity also was examined found a very large effect for popular youth favoring boys but no significant difference for unpopular youth (Ladd, 1983).…”

Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…In the few cases in which significant effects did not emerge the samples were very small (15 or less, Humphreys & Smith, 1987, 9 year old sample;Ladd, 1983, popular and average samples), and available effect sizes for one of these studies were nevertheless large and favored boys. Studies of youth in fourth to sixth grade also consistently reveal small-to-medium to large effect sizes indicating that boys are more likely than girls to engage in organized play, such as sports and games with rules (Lever, 1978;Moller et al, 1992, 4 th grade sample; Zarbatany, et al, 2000). Findings are less consistent for younger youth (Moller et al, 1992, 2 nd grade sample; Pellegrini, Blatchford, Kato, & Baines, 2004) suggesting that this sex difference emerges more consistently with age.…”

Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

Rose

Rudolph

2006

Psychological Bulletin

1,999

157

1,831

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Theory and research on sex differences in adjustment focus largely on parental, societal, and biological influences. However, it also is important to consider how peers contribute to girls' and boys' development. This paper provides a critical review of sex differences in: several peerrelationship processes, including behavioral and social-cognitive styles, stress and coping, and relationship provisions. Based on this review, a speculative peer-socialization model is presented that considers the implications of these sex differences for girls' and boys' emotional and behavioral development. Central to this model is the idea that sex-linked relationship processes have costs and benefits for girls' and boys' adjustment. Finally, we present recent research testing certain model components and propose approaches for testing understudied aspects of the model. Keywordspeer relationships; sex differences; emotional adjustment; behavioral adjustment From a very early age, significant differences are found in the peer relationships of girls and boys. What are the potential implications of this consistent pattern of sex differences for youth? The purpose of the present paper is to review, synthesize, and critique existing research concerning the presence of sex differences in several key aspects of youths' relationships, particularly in the peer group context. Based on this critical review, we then introduce a speculative model concerning the influence of sex differences in these peer relationship processes on the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys. Finally, this review and speculative model are used as a springboard for identifying critical future directions for research on sex differences in relationships processes and associated developmental outcomes.We focus on sex differences in three major domains of relationship processes: relationship style-including both behavioral and social-cognitive components, stress and coping processes, and emotional provisions in relationships. Several factors determined our selection of these relationship processes for inclusion in our review. The overarching goal of this review is to generate ideas about the influence of sex differences in relationship processes on well-being in girls and boys. Thus, we focused in general on relationship Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Amanda J. Rose, 210 McAlester Hall, Department of Psychology, University of Columbia, Missouri 65211, RoseA@missouri.edu NIH-PA Author ManuscriptNIH-PA Author Manuscript NIH-PA Author Manuscript processes that we hypothesized would have potential implications for understanding sex differences in emotional and behavioral development. With this goal in mind, we used three criteria to select specific dimensions for review. First, we focus on relationship processes that are emphasized in existing theoretical models of sex differences in relationships (e.g., Burhmester, 1996;Cross & Madson, 1997;Helgeson, 1994;Maccoby, 1990; NolenHoeksema & Girgus, 1994). Second, we ...

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Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 63%

mentioning

confidence: 63%

Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 88%

Section: Sex Differences In Peer Relationship Stylesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

Rose

Rudolph

2006

Psychological Bulletin

1,999

157

1,831

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Social scientists at least since Piaget have claimed that girls' social organization is intrinsically less complex than that of boys. For example boys were argued to engage in complex, competitive games like football, while the games of girls, such as hopscotch, were depicted as simple (Lever 1978). By way of contrast, Goodwin found the girls' social organization was in many respects more complex than that of boys, and also far more painful because it was based on exclusion and coalitions within triads.…”

Section: Building Social and Political Organization Through Interactimentioning

confidence: 99%

The Handbook of Narrative Analysis

Herman¹,

Vervaeck²

2015

201

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Lesbian, gay and bisexual development: theory, research and social issues

Rivers

1997

J. Community. Appl. Soc. Psychol.

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Over the last 20 years there has been a marked increase in the number of published journal articles and books in the field of lesbian and gay psychology and psychotherapy. Much of this work has focused upon the negative effect of living as a lesbian, gay or bisexual adult in a heterosexual world. Despite our increased awareness concerning the problems lesbians, gay men and bisexuals face in society, little is understood about the process of development from the realization of sexual orientation through to identity formation and self-actualization. This article draws together various strands of research on lesbian, gay and bisexual development and addresses some of the theoretical and conceptual issues which surround this area of psychology.

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Sex Differences in the Complexity of Children's Play and Games

Cited by 324 publications

References 3 publications

A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

A review of sex differences in peer relationship processes: Potential trade-offs for the emotional and behavioral development of girls and boys.

The Handbook of Narrative Analysis

Lesbian, gay and bisexual development: theory, research and social issues

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