Previous research has indicated that sex-role preferences of boys were more clearly masculine than girls' preferences were feminine. In order to provide a partial explanation of this phenomenon, the responses of 107 college students to descriptions of cross-sex-role behavior of young boys and girls were investigated. Ss rated 10 one-sentence descriptions of cross-sex-role behavior on an approval-disapproval dimension. Both male and female Ss indicated greater disapproval of cross-sex-role behavior of boys than of girls. The relationship of these findings to previous research was discussed.
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