Ideal sex roles for children and acceptance of variation from stereotypic sex roles.

In a sample of 50 child psychology students, 40% preferred that there be no differences between male and female children on 14 personality characteristics, while 60% preferred differences resembling current sex role stereotypes. For the latter students there was some preference for dominance, aggression, autonomy, exhibition, heterosexuality, and achievement to be more characteristic of males, and order, succorance, deference, nurturance, and abasement to be more characteristic of females. Both groups observed male and female peers describing themselves in a manner appropriate or not appropriate to current stereotypes. The students with a stated preference for no sex role difference among children did in fact express a more equal attraction to male or female peers whether they depicted sex appropriate or inappropriate roles.