How Gender is Socialized through Childhood
The following article is based on an Honors essay I wrote for my Marriage & Family course. I find myself leaning towards topics that deal with gender or adolescence, and this was very interesting to learn more about.
In today’s age, many gender stereotypes have evolved throughout time. Nowadays, most people identify blue as a “boy color” and pink as a “girl color”. Before 1918, there was actually no color gender assignment. In 1918, Earnshaw’s Infant Department identified girls’ clothing as blue and boys’ as pink. It was not until the 1940s that clothing manufacturers switched the colors, for a reason that is still unknown. This example shows how aspects and beliefs of gender can be perceived in many different ways.
Gender can be described as how someone identifies themselves and the cultural expectations of “masculinity” and “femininity,” and is a concept that can be developed through socialization, which means that it shapes someone through socializing agents. Gender is especially shaped through socialization during childhood because when children are young, they are easily influenced, and children can be guided by positive or negative sanctions. Gender socialization occurs through four major agents of socialization: family, schools, peer groups, and mass media. Each agent reinforces gender roles by creating and maintaining normative expectations for gender-specific behavior.
The family shapes children’s understanding of gender roles through modeled behaviors. Even without direct instruction, children internalize gender norms based on family dynamics, such as traditional roles of mothers and fathers. Despite efforts at promoting equality, parents may unintentionally reinforce gender norms through tasks and expectations. The Expectancy-Value Theory (EVT) emphasizes that children’s beliefs about success in non-traditional roles are shaped by parental attitudes, which influence their aspirations and career choices.
Schools and educators also play a significant role in shaping children’s understanding of gender through socialization. Gender norms are often reinforced in classrooms—teachers may unintentionally favor boys by giving them more attention, praise girls for compliance, or discourage boys from expressing emotions. School sports often label activities as masculine or feminine. For example, football can be seen as inappropriate for girls, while dance can be viewed as unsuitable for boys. These perceptions can discourage participation and lead to gender-based exclusion or ridicule.
Peer groups are the third major agent of socialization that significantly shape children’s understanding of gender roles. Children often rely on appearance and behavior—such as clothing and hair length—to determine gender, forming early ideas about gender differences. In elementary school, children adopt idealized views of masculinity and femininity, with popularity often tied to conforming to these roles. Boys gain status through athleticism and toughness, while girls are judged more on appearance, social skills, and academic performance. As children grow older, the pressure to conform to peer group norms intensifies. Those who feel they don’t fit in with same-sex peers often experience low self-esteem and avoid activities that don’t align with traditional gender expectations.
Through mass media such as television, cartoons, advertisements, and video games, children are exposed to stereotypical portrayals of masculinity and femininity. As children identify with these characters, they may internalize these traits and adopt them as part of their own identity. Although some girls attempt to break these norms by aspiring to be strong and independent, boys tend to conform more strictly to traditional stereotypes.
I asked over 20 of my peers, most attending McMurry, about which of the four agents they thought teaches ideas of gender the most. The vote results were: Family 50%, School 17%, Media 17%, Peers 13%. Some students gave me their opinion on the topic: one commented that schools are the most influential because of how dress code impacts girls. The student stated, “It creates stigma that girls are inherently sexual objects, and that men can do as they please.” The rest of the students that shared personal opinions with me explained why they think family is the most influential. The responses included gender roles during holidays, parents telling kids what is right and wrong, and the fact that family is what children are exposed to before anything else.
Sources:
Afzaal, S., S. Irshad, and B. Naz. “Internalizing Gendered Identities: An Analysis of Children’s Conversations about Cartoon Characters.” University of Chitral Journal of Linguistics & Literature, vol. 5, no. II, 2021, pp. 148-169. https://jll.uoch.edu.pk/index.php/journal10/article/view/335/187.
Chartschlaa, Sarah A. External Influences of Children’s Socialization to Gender Roles. Senior Honors Thesis, Liberty University, 2004. Scholars Crossing, https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1205&context=honors.
Chow, Jason C., Michael D. Broda, Kristen L. Granger, Melissa Washington-Nortey, Robin Sayers, and Danielle Dunn. “A Sociometric Approach to Understanding Characteristics of Same- and Other-Gender Friendships in Young Children.” Early Childhood Research Quarterly, vol. 62, 2023, pp. 385–393, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2022.09.009.
Esbensen, Heidi. “6.5 Gender Socialization Inside Family and Childhood.” Sociology of Gender, Open Oregon Educational Resources, https://openoregon.pressbooks.pub/socgender/chapter/6-5-gender-socialization-inside-family-and-childhood/.
Lamanna, Mary, A. et al. Marriages, Families, and Relationships: Making Choices in a Diverse Society. Available from: McMurry University, (14th Edition). Cengage Learning US, 2020.