“Because You Have to be Pretty”: Children’s Gender Identity Development and Preoccupation with Physical Appearance

• In Event: 1-154 - Gender Norms, Gender Identity, and Appearance Concerns Across Development

Integrative Statement

Physical appearance is one of the earliest perceived markers of gender among young children (Halim, 2016). Preschoolers and kindergarteners seem to quickly learn that pink, dresses, and long hair are “only for girls.” As young children begin to adopt a gender identity, they passionately try on these costumes (sometimes, literally – parading in princess gowns and superhero capes on regular school days). About two-thirds of girls and one-third to half of boys go through an appearance rigidity phase, strongly and frequently insisting on wearing very gender-typed clothing (Halim et al., 2014). For example, a three-year-old girl might desire to wear a dress every day for months, even in the dead of winter. Observing this strong focus on appearance as an expression of gender identity, the current paper explored whether this also translated to a preoccupation with physical appearance. Specifically, do young children, especially girls, care a lot about looking pretty or handsome? We also investigated whether appearance preoccupation grows stronger with age and why children might consider appearances to be important, if at all. In young adulthood, making one’s self-worth contingent on looking attractive has been associated with a host of negative outcomes such as psychological distress, substance use, and disordered eating (e.g., Crocker, 2002; Hyde, Mezulis, & Abramson, 2008). Thus, we believed it was critical to understand the origins of a preoccupation with physical appearance. To test these questions, we conducted two studies. In Study 1, we sampled 28 children (ages 3-7; 54% Latinx, 25% European American, 21% other ethnicities) and their parents using an experience sampling longitudinal design. Every other month for a year, parents reported their child’s appearance preoccupation and their child’s interest in learning about gender. In Study 2, we sampled 118 3- to 5-year-old children (34% European American, 24% Latinx, 24% African American, 9% Asian American, 9% unidentified). We assessed children’s appearance preoccupation through direct questions and activities (“purchasing” appearance-related toys, such as a dress-up toy, over other gender-typed toys). Results indicated rather high levels of appearance preoccupation, especially among girls as young as 3 years old. Across both studies and all three measures tested, girls exhibited a stronger appearance preoccupation than boys. Age was associated with appearance preoccupation for two of the three measures. Consistent with self-socialization theories (children actively constructing their gender identity), being interested in learning about gender was positively associated with appearance preoccupation. Children’s responses to why appearances were important varied from citing pure enjoyment and positive outcomes, to explicit social pressures. A few connected the importance of appearances to gender. The results of our study suggest that early gender identity development incorporates a desire to look beautiful, not just to look stereotypically feminine or masculine. Our findings also suggest that gender differences found in appearance concerns among adults might start quite young. Future work should examine other factors encouraging appearance preoccupation (e.g., media) and the implications of appearance preoccupation in childhood for well-being.

Authors

• May Ling Halim, California State University Long Beach
  Presenting Author

• Brenda Celina Gutierrez, University of California at Santa Cruz
  Non-Presenting Author

• Danielle N. Bryant, California State University - Long Beach
  Non-Presenting Author

• Maria Arredondo, California State University - Long Beach
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kiyo Takesako, California State University - Long Beach
  Non-Presenting Author