Verbal and Nonverbal Responsiveness of Male and Female Preschool Teachers to Sex of Child and Sex-Typed Child Behaviors

Abstract

Frequencies of verbal and nonverbal responsiveness of 20 male and 20 female preschool teachers to sex of child and to sex-typed child behaviors were observed. Male and female teachers responded verbally equally as often to boys arid girls, especially when the children were involved in masculine activities. Higher incidences of nonverbal responsiveness of male teachers to boys and to masculine behaviors indicated that male teachers tended to be more physically proximate to boys than girls and more involved in masculine behaviors than the women.