Prenatal Sex Role Stereotypes

Gendered Expectations and Perceptions of (Expectant) Parents

Bibliographic Data

ID8355641
AuthorsRoland Imhoff (0000-0003-0807-463X, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, corresponding author), Lisa Hoffmann (0000-0001-9220-7129, University of Bonn)
Year2023
Volume52
Issue3
Pages1095-1104
Publication date2023-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArchives of Sexual Behavior (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0004-0002 • E-ISSN: 1573-2800
PublisherSpringer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1007/s10508-023-02584-9
PMID36944763
OpenAlexW4328133759
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited46

People assign attributes to a different degree to other persons depending on whether these are male or female (sex role stereotypes). Such stereotypes continue to exist even in countries with lower gender inequality. The present research tested the idea that parents develop sex role consistent expectations of their babies’ attributes based on fetal sex (by ultrasound diagnostic), as well as gendered perceptions of their recently newborn babies. A total of 304 dyads of predominantly White expecting parents from Germany were followed over the course of pregnancy until after the birth and completed a sex role inventory on their babies’ expected (before birth) as well as perceived traits (after birth). Specifically, they rated to what extent they expected their babies to have normatively feminine traits (e.g., soft-spoken and warm) and normatively masculine traits (e.g., independent and assertive) twice before birth (first half of pregnancy, six weeks before due date) and to what extent they perceived their baby to have these traits eight weeks after birth. The results suggested that fathers held gendered expectations and perceptions, whereas mothers did not. These results suggest that male and female babies are likely to encounter sex role stereotypes about their alleged attributes as soon as their birth

Developmental psychology · Perception · Public health · Sexual behavior · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Clinical Psychology · Early Childhood Education and Development · Gender Roles and Identity Studies · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology

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