Sex-Role Preference in Black Preschool Children Using a Modification of the it Scale for Children

Abstract

In the present study, the facial features of the “IT” figure in the IT Scale for Children were used as a less biased modification for measuring sex-role preference of preschool black children (46 boys, 47 girls). Data showed that the majority of the children identified “IT” as their own sex. Also, significant differences were obtained between the present sample of black boys and those black boys in a comparison sample. No differences existed, however, between the present sample and the original normative white sample of boys. Black girls in the present sample were as feminine as both the black and white comparison samples. The results indicate that the facial features version is appropriate when using the IT Scale. Black children seemed to manifest sex-role preference similar to their white peers although girls' scores were more variable. Previous assumptions regarding the socialization of sex-role behavior of black children are challengeable and must be reconsidered.