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Children's Perception of Gender-Based Illusory Correlations: Enhancing Preexisting Relationships Between Gender and Behavior

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether children would perceive an illusory correlation between gender and behavior above and beyond the actual relationship between the variables in the stimuli. Second and fourth grade children were presented with a series of pictures of men and women performing gender stereotypic, counter-stereotypic, and neutral behaviors. One gender (the high frequency gender) performed each behavior twice as often as the other gender. The children made higher frequency estimates for stimuli that matched their expectancies than for stimuli that were neutral or counter to their expectations. Further, they perceived a stronger relationship between gender and behavior for stimuli that were stereotypic for the high frequency gender than for neutral or counter-stereotypic stimuli.

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Correspondence to Joshua E. Susskind.

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Susskind, J.E. Children's Perception of Gender-Based Illusory Correlations: Enhancing Preexisting Relationships Between Gender and Behavior. Sex Roles 48, 483–494 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023519127547

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023519127547

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