Sons Versus Daughters: Sex Composition of Children and Maternal Views on Socialization

Abstract

This study argues for the incorporation of sex composition of offspring in the study of parental values and attitudes. Using a sample of mothers of pre‐school aged children residing in two cities in Indiana, we examine the consequences of sex composition on two important parental views on socialization. We find that as the relative number of sons versus daughters increases, mothers believe “children always suffer when both parents work outside of the home” and “the most importnat thing for children to learn is to obey their parents.” These findings suggest that generalized views on parenting are developed through maternal experiences in the family and, in turn, these experiences are shaped by the sex composition of progeny.

Sons, Daughters, and Family Processes: Does Gender of Children Matter?

“…A number of provocative studies over the past decade suggest that families with sons may have more gender specialization on the part of parents than families with girls. First, parents of sons are slightly more likely than parents of daughters to express conservative viewpoints toward men's and women's gender roles (Downey et al 1994, Kane 1997, Warner 1991. The more sons a mother has, the more likely she is to agree that "children always suffer when both parents work outside of the home" and the more likely she is to emphasize obedience in the household (Downey et al 1994).…”

Female Socialization: How Daughters Affect Their Legislator Fathers' Voting on Women's Issues

“…Psychologists have demonstrated a link between offspring gender and parental beliefs on not only parenting issues (Brody and Steelman 1985;Downey, Jackson and Powell 1994) but also on issues of political significance. Warner (1991) examines the impact of daughters on parental attitudes toward women, in Detroit and Toronto.…”

The Gender Weight Gap: Sons, Daughters, and Maternal Weight

“…Notably, although mothers of daughters report more egalitarian attitudes towards gender roles than the mothers of sons (see for example, Downey, Jackson, andPowell 1994, andWarner 1991), there is evidence that, behaviorally, mothers engage in more sexstereotypical behavior with their daughters than with their sons. Close observational studies of dyads (mother-daughter, father-son, mother-son, father-daughter) report that sex-typed behaviors among parents is much more prominent in same-sex dyads (mother-daughter and father-son) than in opposite-sex dyads (see for example, Juni andGrimm 1993, andJacklin, DiPietro, andMaccoby 1984); women are more likely to engage in play activities that are less aggressive, more verbal, and more emotional when they are with their daughters, for example.…”