Gendered Stereotyped Behaviors in Childhood

Over the course of childhood, children develop a complex understanding of gender and gender stereotypes. Starting at around the age of 2 years and continuing through childhood, the majority of children exhibit gendered behaviors that are stereotypical for their biological sex. Gendered behaviors entail an array of behaviors that express how feminine or masculine someone is. When children engage in gendered stereotyped behaviors, it means that they are behaving in a way that is consistent with their biological sex (i.e., male children act masculine, and female children act feminine). This entry provides a brief overview of the gender stereotyped behaviors children exhibit, the typical development of gender stereotypes, the biological and social factors influencing the development of gender stereotypes, and gender-atypical behaviors in children.