Gender Typicality, Stereotypes, and Body Image in 6- to 11- Year Old Girls

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

Integrative Statement

Gender typicality, the degree to which one feels like a typical member of one’s gender group, and felt pressure, the degree to which one feels pressure to conform to gender norms, are aspects of gender identity studied in children (Egan & Perry, 2001). Gender atypicality, in combination with high felt pressure, is a risk factor for low self-worth in children (Carver et al., 2003). Researchers have begun to examine positive correlates of gender atypicality and have found gender atypical children hold less rigid gender stereotypes (Patterson, 2012). We extend this work to appearance stereotypes and body image. We interviewed 120 6-11 year-old girls (Mage = 8.29; 62% White). All measures used Likert-type scales unless noted otherwise. Gender typicality was measured using a 10-item graphic measure assessing perceived similarity to girls and to boys (Martin et al., 2017). Children reported pressure from parents (five items) and peers (five items) to adhere to gender norms. Weight stereotypes were measured by asking children to rate thin, average-weight, and overweight figures, on semantic differential scales with five adjective pairs (e.g., sloppy/neat, Musher-Eizenman et al., 2004). Appearance stereotyping was assessed with four items (Stone et al., 2015). On the Child Figure Rating Scale girls selected actual and most preferred (ideal) body size (Collins, 1991). Figures were coded from 1 (smallest body size) to 7 (largest body size). To indicate body satisfaction, we subtracted the actual body size selection from ideal body size. To assess aversion to larger body size, girls also selected their least preferred body size. Body esteem was measured using nine items adapted from Mendelson, White, and Mendelson (1996). Results indicate that felt similarity to girls (r = .353, p = .000), felt pressure from parents (r = .386, p = .000), and felt pressure from peers (r = .196, p = .036) were positively associated with appearance stereotyping. Felt pressure from peers was positively associated with endorsing stereotypes about thin (r = .246, p = .008) and overweight figures (r = .292, p = .002). For 8- to 11-year-old girls, regression analyses supported pressure from peers to conform to gender norms as a moderator of the relationship between perceived similarity to girls and body satisfaction, b = -.453, SE =.221, t = -2.05, p = .044. Perceived similarity to girls was most positively associated with body satisfaction among girls who reported low pressure from peers to conform. Among 8- to 11-year-old girls, pressure from parents (b = 1.15, SE =.523, t = 2.20, p = .031) and peers (b = 0.97, SE=.482, t = 2.01, p = .049) both interacted with perceived similarity to boys in predicting aversion to larger body sizes. Perceived similarity to boys was associated with less aversion to large body sizes among girls who reported low pressure from parents and peers to conform. For 6- to 7-year-old girls, pressure did not moderate the relationship between perceived similarity and any indicators of body image. Further work is needed to disentangle relations among gender typicality, stereotypes, and body image concerns.

Authors

• Flora Farago, Stephen F. Austin State University
  Presenting Author

• Sarah Savoy, Stephen F. Austin State University
  Non-Presenting Author