I. Keep a list of instances of gender stereotypes and/or gender-stereotyping behavior in your life
that you notice for an entire day. These can be in jobs, gender-role behaviors, language, media
portrayals, and interactions. Explain your list by describing the stereotypes involved. How
prevalent are these gender-typed situations in your environment?
II. Now discuss the role of gender typing in child development. When does it start? What are the
influences? How does gender-role learning and gender identity change over the course of
development? Describe the changes from early to middle childhood and then to adolescence, as
well as how the influences change.
III. Lastly, discuss the “good, the bad, and the ugly” regarding gender typing and stereotypes. Is
there a benefit to learning these gender roles? What are some disadvantages? Can extreme
gender stereotyping lead to “the ugly,” or, in other words, unacceptable and possibly even
criminal behavior? Explain. Can trying to prevent gender stereotypes (e.g., raising a child
“gender-free”) be a good thing? Can it go too far? Explain.
Sample Solution