The Influence of Peers on Children's Socialization to Gender Roles

As children move through childhood, there are many environmental influences on their socialization to adult roles. These influences include parents, school, the media, and peers. Peer relationships play an important role in the development of a child's self concept and have a strong impact on how children view the roles of males and females in our society. The perpetuation of gender biases and stereotypes often is begun in the home and then further reinforced by the peer group. This overview of literature dealing with the influence of peers on children's gender role socialization suggests that strict adherence to traditional gender roles, while limiting to children, is strongly encouraged by the peer group and is reinforced by parents, schools, and the media.