PSY385: Special Topics/ Gender in Childhood

Bryant College

Spring 2001

Professor: Dr. Nanci Weinbergere-mail:

Office hours: Monday, 1:00-3:30 & Wednesday, 9:30-12:00. Office: Suite B, Room315

Office phone: (401) 232-6411 (This is the most reliable way to reach me. Leave a detailed message, as needed.)

Required Texts:

Maccoby, E.E. (1999). The two sexes: Growing up apart, coming together. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Yelland, N. (Ed.), (1998). Gender in early childhood. New York: Routledge.

Additional readings are assigned and listed in the semester schedule.

Course Description:

In this course the meaning of gender and how it shapes children’s experiences, perceptions, identities, and behavior will be addressed. The confluence of biology and socio-cultural factors on gender development will be considered. A variety of research approaches will be discussed and used by students.

Course Objectives:

  1. To gather knowledge about the complexity of gender issues in childhood.
  2. To have students gain skills in analyzing, critiquing and doing empirical research on gender in childhood.
  3. To have students share ideas and research in both an oral and written format.

Course Requirements and Evaluation:

  1. Midterm: 100 points
  2. Final exam: 115 points
  3. Research meetings: 20 points
  4. Research paper: 100 points
  5. Research presentation: 25 points
  6. Class participation: 40 points

Total points possible for the semester = 400.

Minimum points needed:Letter grades:Percentages:

368A92-100

348AB87-91

328B82-86

308BC77-81

288C72-76

268CD67-71

248D62-66

Less than 248FLess than 62

The final grade is based on the number of points earned (i.e., not percentages). Your final grade is based on your own performance, not on the performance of the class (i.e., the grades will not be curved).

Attendance Policy: You are expected to attend and participate in class. Both are requirements for your class participation grade. Assignment due dates, specific test dates and changes in the schedule will be announced in class or in the e-mail postings.

It is your responsibility to check your messages to receive announcements. Make sure you activate your Bryant e-mail account. If you use another e-mail account, have your Bryant e-mail forwarded to it. Go to for more information on how to do this.

1/22/01 / Introduction: Overview /
  1. Vasta, R., Haith, M.M., & Miller, S.A., (1999). Gender development and sex differences (Chapter 15). Child Psychology: The Modern Science (3rd Edition). NY: John Wiley.

1/29/01 / Theoretical approaches /
  1. Maccoby, E.E. (1999). a) Introduction; b) Gender segregation in childhood; c) The two cultures of childhood; d) Cross-sex encounters (introduction and chapters 1-3). The two sexes: Growing up apart, coming together. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  2. Fausto-Sterling, A. (2000). Gender Systems: Toward a theory of human sexuality. Sexing the body: Gender politics and the construction of sexuality. NY: Basic Books.

2/5/01 / Gender Knowledge /
  1. Levy, G.D. (1999). Gender-typed & non-gender-typed category awareness in toddlers. Sex Roles, 41 (11/12), 851-873.
  2. Szkrybalo, J. & Ruble, D. (1999). “God made me a girl”: Sex-category constancy judgments and explanations revisited. Developmental Psychology, 35 (2), 392-402.

2/12/01 / Gender & Sexual Identity /
  1. Brutsaert, H. (1999). Coeducation & gender identity formation: A comparative analysis of secondary schools in Belgium. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 20 (3), 343-353.
  2. Savin-Williams, R.C. & Diamond, L.M. (2000). Sexual identity trajectories among sexual-minority youths: Gender comparisons. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 29 (6), 607-627.
  3. Dube, E.M. & Savin-Williams, R.C. (1999). Sexual identity development among ethnic sexual-minority male youths. Developmental Psychology, 35 (6), 1389-1398.

2/19/01 / Biological Influences /
  1. Maccoby. a) What needs to be explained; b) The biological component (chapters 4 &5)
  2. Golombok, S. & Fivush, R. (1994). Prenatal influences (chapter 3) Gender Development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
  3. Dessens, A.B. et al., (1999). Prenatal exposure to anticonvulsants and psychosexual development. Archives of sexual behavior, 28 (1), 31-44.

2/26/01 / MIDTERM
3/5/01 / Parents & Families /
  1. Maccoby. a) The socialization component; b) The cognitive component (chapters 6 & 7)
  2. Yelland, N. (Ed.) (1998). a) Blurring the edges, b) Constructing the gendered infant (chapters 1&2) Gender in early childhood. NY: Routledge.

3/12/01 / Spring Break
3/19/01 / Parents & Families continued /
  1. Sandnabba, N.K. & Ahlberg, C. (1999). Parent’ attitudes and expectations about children’s cross-gender behavior. Sex Roles, 40 (3/4), 249-263.

3/26/01 / In Schools /
  1. Yelland, a) “The pink’s run out!” The place of artmaking in young children’s construction of the gendered self, b) Making sense of gender issues in mathematics and technology (chapters 12&13).

4/2/01 / The wider culture /
  1. Yelland, a)The body, young children and popular culture (chapter 4)
  2. Matti, C. & Lisosky, J.M. (1999). In search of sandbox dreams: Examining the decision-making of Disney’s female and male animated heroes. Women & Language, 22 (2), 66.

4/9/01 / The wider culture /
  1. Yelland, a) Gendered settings and human rights in early childhood (chapter 6).

4/16/01 / Research presentations /
  1. Student abstracts

4/23/01 / Research presentations /
  1. Student abstracts

5/10/01 10:00 am / FINAL EXAM