Abstract
The present study was undertaken to test whether young boys and girls, aged 6 to 7 yr., black, and from families of low income, would develop knowledge and attitudes about work roles and the sex of workers in those roles from television commercials. Both stereotypic and counter-stereotypic occupational roles were portrayed by TV actresses. Children were pre- and posttested in terms of (1) their occupational knowledge, (2) the extent to which they stereotyped various occupations, and (3) their own preferences for various traditionally male and traditionally female jobs. Children's knowledge of occupations increased after the TV exposure; however, their views of stereotypic roles did not change. Importantly girls showed greater preferences for traditionally male jobs following TV exposure to women in such roles.
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