Shaping Gender: The Role of Family in Children's Identity Construction

Mayra Margarito Gaspar

doi:10.18535/sshj.v8i11.1482

Abstract

The document examines how gender stereotypes influence identity construction in children aged 9 to 12. Stereotypes act as normative frameworks that shape the perception of masculine and feminine roles, which children internalize from an early age. Using gender schema theory, the study investigated how children represent these roles in activities and narratives, aiming to understand how the family serves as both a reference and an agent in socializing and forming stereotypes. To do this, family representations in idea-completion exercises and creative productions of 186 children were analyzed, providing insights into the perpetuation or questioning of these cultural norms. The results show a strong association with traditional roles in parental figures: the father as provider and protector, and the mother as caregiver, reflecting conventional stereotypes. However, modest changes are also observed, with an emerging participation of the father in domestic roles. In contrast, siblings and cousins have less rigid and more diverse roles, especially in recreational activities, suggesting a more flexible space for gender identity exploration. Grandparents and uncles, on the other hand, often appear as extensions of parental roles, reinforcing the transmission of traditional norms. This exposes the need for educational interventions that promote a more equitable view, allowing children to explore their gender identities authentically and without rigid cultural constraints.

Keywords

Gender rolesfamilystereotypesrepresentationsidentity construction

References

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[refR-10] Galet, C. & Alzás, T. (2014). Trascendencia del rol de género en la educación familiar. Campo Abierto, 33 (2), 97-114. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/5250171.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

[refR-11] Gerson, K. (2009). The unfinished revolution: how a new generation is reshaping family, work, and gender in America. Oxford University Press.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-12] Golshirazian, S. el al. (2015). The Effect of Peer Groups on Gender Identity and Expression, International Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Studies, 2 (10), 9-17. https://www.ijrhss.org/pdf/v2-i10/2.pdfGoogle Scholar ↗

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[refR-17] Kramer, L. et al. (2019). Siblings. In B. H. Fiese, M. Celano, K. Deater-Deckard, E. N. Jouriles, & M. A. Whisman (Eds.), APA handbook of contemporary family psychology: Foundations, methods, and contemporary issues across the lifespan (pp. 521–538). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000099-029DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

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[refR-21] Park, B. et al. (2010). The persistence of implicit behavioral associations for moms and dads. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 46 (5), 809-815.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-22] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2010.04.009DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-23] Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences. Sage Publications, Inc.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-24] Rodríguez-Castrillón, C. M. & Amador-Baquiro, J. C. (2023) Investigación narrativa con niños y niñas: una reflexión teórico-metodológica.Revista Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, Niñez y Juventud, 21 (3), 39-70.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-25] DOI: https://doi.org/10.11600/rlcsnj.21.3.5514DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-26] Skinner, O. D. & McHale, S. M. (2022). Family gender socialization in childhood and adolescence. In D. P. VanderLaan & W. I. Wong (Eds.), Gender and sexuality development: Contemporary theory and research (pp. 233–253). Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Google Scholar ↗

[refR-27] https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-84273-4_8DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-28] Stamson, A. (2024). Reading Between Worlds: Gendered Narratives in Fiction. Critical Gender Studies Journal, 1 (1), 1–16. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21659/cgsj.v1n1.03DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗

[refR-29] Viveros, E. F. (2010). Roles, patriarcado y dinámica interna familiar: reflexiones útiles para Latinoamérica. Revista virtual de la Universidad Católica del Norte, (31), 388-406. http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=194214587017Google Scholar ↗

[refR-30] Wood, W. & Eagly, A. H. (2012). Biosocial construction of sex differences and similarities in behavior. In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, Vol. 46 (pp. 55-123). Academic Press Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-394281-4.00002-7DOI ↗Google Scholar ↗