Barrier Behavior and Toy Preference: Sex Differences (and Their Absence) in the Year-Old Child.

JACKLIN, CAROL NAGY; MACCOBY, ELEANOR E.; and DICK, ANNE E. Barrier Behavior and Toy Preference: Sex Differences (and Their Absence) in the Year-Old Child. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1973, 44, 196-200. 2 experiments are reported with children age 13 and 14 months and their mothers. Behavior at a barrier and 2 toy preferences were taken. Position behind the barrier and manipulation of the barrier did not show sex differences. Crying at the barrier showed sex differences in only 1 condition of moderate stress. Preference for robots was found for boys in both experiements. No other sex differences were found. Mothers of boys and mothers of girls did not differ in toy selections for their children.