Impact of Gendered Praise on Preschoolers' Pride
Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
Gender Socialization, Gender Development, Gendered Praise
Department
Psychology
Major
Psychology
Abstract
We investigated how praise for gender-stereotypical characteristics impacts preschool-age children’s sense of pride. To date, we have collected data from 60 children, ages three to five (M = 4.23), and their caregivers and will continue data collection until we reach 74 participants, in accordance with an a priori power analysis. Children received 18 total praise comments, including comments consistent with their gender identity (gender-congruent praise), opposing their gender identity (gender-disparate praise), and gender-neutral praise. Children rated how they felt after each comment with a visual analog scale, and video recordings of the children were coded for pride behaviors. We hypothesized that (1) children would exhibit the most pride in response to gender-congruent praise compared to the other conditions, (2) boys would exhibit a stronger discrepancy in levels of pride between gender-congruent and gender-disparate praise than girls, and (3) stronger parental endorsement of gender-stereotypical attitudes toward child-rearing would be associated with a larger discrepancy in levels of pride between the praise conditions. Currently, the finding that children exhibit more pride in response to gender-congruent praise compared to gender-disparate praise and gender-neutral praise approaches significance (F =2.96, p = .07, partial eta squared = .19). Understanding the impact of gendered praise is important because it can affect children’s feelings of pride for various behaviors and qualities. Parents and teachers should praise children for a wide range of characteristics, including those that deviate from traditional gender stereotypes, to allow them to explore their interests and skills.
Faculty Mentor
Elizabeth Mancuso
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
24-3-2023 2:00 PM
End Date
24-3-2023 4:00 PM
Impact of Gendered Praise on Preschoolers' Pride
Waves Cafeteria
We investigated how praise for gender-stereotypical characteristics impacts preschool-age children’s sense of pride. To date, we have collected data from 60 children, ages three to five (M = 4.23), and their caregivers and will continue data collection until we reach 74 participants, in accordance with an a priori power analysis. Children received 18 total praise comments, including comments consistent with their gender identity (gender-congruent praise), opposing their gender identity (gender-disparate praise), and gender-neutral praise. Children rated how they felt after each comment with a visual analog scale, and video recordings of the children were coded for pride behaviors. We hypothesized that (1) children would exhibit the most pride in response to gender-congruent praise compared to the other conditions, (2) boys would exhibit a stronger discrepancy in levels of pride between gender-congruent and gender-disparate praise than girls, and (3) stronger parental endorsement of gender-stereotypical attitudes toward child-rearing would be associated with a larger discrepancy in levels of pride between the praise conditions. Currently, the finding that children exhibit more pride in response to gender-congruent praise compared to gender-disparate praise and gender-neutral praise approaches significance (F =2.96, p = .07, partial eta squared = .19). Understanding the impact of gendered praise is important because it can affect children’s feelings of pride for various behaviors and qualities. Parents and teachers should praise children for a wide range of characteristics, including those that deviate from traditional gender stereotypes, to allow them to explore their interests and skills.