Authors:	Imhoff, Roland Hoffmann, Lisa
Title:	Prenatal sex role stereotypes : gendered expectations and perceptions of (expectant) parents
Online publication date:	4-May-2023
Year of first publication:	2023
Language:	english
Abstract:	People assign attributes to a diferent degree to other persons depending on whether these are male or female (sex role stereo types). 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). Specifcally, 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 (frst 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.
DDC:	150 Psychologie 150 Psychology
Institution:	Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz
Department:	FB 02 Sozialwiss., Medien u. Sport
Place:	Mainz
ROR:	https://ror.org/023b0x485
DOI:	http://doi.org/10.25358/openscience-9064
Version:	Published version
Publication type:	Zeitschriftenaufsatz
License:	CC BY
Information on rights of use:	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Journal:	Archives of sexual behavior 52 3
Pages or article number:	1095 1104
Publisher:	Springer Science + Business Media B.V.
Publisher place:	Dordrecht u.a.
Issue date:	2023
ISSN:	1573-2800
Publisher DOI:	10.1007/s10508-023-02584-9
Appears in collections:	DFG-491381577-H