Poster #98 - Parents’ and non-parents’ mental state language preferences towards children as a function of child gender

• In Event: Poster Session 18

Abstract

Mental state language (MSL) is a general term that refers to mental states, including cognitions, emotions, and desires. Additionally, elaborated MSL language defines instances where a mental state is clearly mentioned and then elaborated on to clarify or explain its meaning; this is contrasted to simple MSL, where mental states are simply labelled (Slaughter et al., 2007). The MSL input of adults towards children is of critical import as it allows children first to represent and later participate in social contexts. Further, MSL may enable children to understand how contextual information and behaviours are linked to the mental states of others, subsequently allowing children to infer mental states and predict behaviour in social contexts (Scott et al., 2017).
The influence of MSL input upon children's development of a theory of mind (ToM), which refers to their understanding of mental states, has been well established (Slaughter et al., 2015). Further, children's ToM ability has been linked to successful and positive social interactions and relationships (Slaughter et al., 2015). Additionally, the frequency of parents' elaborated MSL input has been found to strongly predict a child's understanding of how mental states influence human behaviour, that is, their ToM ability (Ruffman et al., 2002).
A child's gender has a broad influence on parenting practices. Sociocultural and ecological constructs suggest that these parenting practices likely reflect gender roles and gender stereotypes evident throughout our society. Therefore, aiding in the socialisation of gender throughout development (Leaper et al., 1998). The language used by parents is one practice that provides a key source of information about social contexts children may represent or experience. Previous research has demonstrated that, generally, parents use language differently toward children based on the child's gender (e.g., Leaper et al., 1998). However, findings regarding the associations between MSL and elaborated MSL and a child's gender vary and are inconsistent (e.g., Jessee et al., 2016; Olson & Mamsur, 2019).
This submission reports the results of two studies in which non-parent adults (Study 1) and parents of children between the ages of 3- and 6-years-old (Study 2) completed the Mental State Input Inventory, which captured their language preferences within common social situations toward male/masculine, female/feminine, and gender non-conforming child protagonists. The unique use of experimentally manipulated protagonists allowed for rigorous control over the gender identity and expression of those children across the conditions.
Findings were remarkably consistent across both studies, with non-parent and parent participants preferencing significantly less MSL towards a male/masculine (compared to a female/feminine or gender non-conforming) child protagonist. Importantly, both non-parents and parents preferenced significantly less elaborated MSL towards a gender non-conforming (compared to a female/feminine or male/masculine) child protagonist. Collectively, these findings illustrate that a child's gender identity may influence the MSL and elaborated MSL they receive from both male and female adults, regardless of their parental status. Further, they emphasise the significance of diversifying samples and stimuli beyond binaries to expand our understanding of MSL preferences within a developmental context.

Authors

• Callyn Farrell, The University of Queensland
  Presenting Author

• Virginia P Slaughter, University of Queensland

• Michael Thai, University of Queensland

• Aisling Mulvihill, University of Queensland