Differential Effects of an Adult Observer's Presence on Sex-Typed Play Behavior - Article Example

Differential Effects of an Adult Observers Presence on Sex-Typed Play Behavior: A comparison Between Gender-Schematic and Gender-Aschematic PreschoolChildren A social research is usually conducted either to justify and support the already existing social phenomenon or identify and explore quite a new social problem. The present research under study had been conducted under the title “Differential Effects of an Adult Observers Presence on Sex-Typed Play Behavior: A comparison Between Gender-Schematic and Gender-Aschematic Preschool Children”, which can be critically evaluated as under: Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: Almost all social researches are supported by some theory. A theory is actually an attempt to explain a social phenomenon. There are some researches which are partly supported by some theoretical framework, while there are few research works in which no conceptual framework is applied at all. While discussibg the current study, it becomes evident that it has been helped out by the Gender Schematic Theory articulated by Carter & Levi (1988) and the concept of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) “The term congenital adrenal hyperplasia encompasses a group of autosomal recessive disorders, each of which involves a deficiency of an enzyme involved in the synthesis of cortisol, aldosterone, or both.” (Retrieved in http://www.emedicine.com/ped/TOPIC48.HTM) The conceptual framework determines the boundaries of the whole research process, and serves as the guiding star throughout the procedure; yet absence of the theoretical framework does not put the research in a serious jeopardy. The present research under study could also be supported by theories of cognitive behaviour, like Constructionist, maturist and environmentalists one, or Eric Erikson’s Theory of Developmental Stages, though absence of theory did not detract the study to a great extent. There are many research procedures, about which no significant theory had been articulated; it is therefore, the study was completed without conceptual structure. The concepts serve as the building blocks in a research process. It is therefore, these are especially defined and identified in details while elaborating the methodology of a research work. The present study has critically examined the concepts including differential effects, situational analysis, influence of parents and siblings, gender identity, sex-type, play groups and activities, social behaviour, gender-schematics, and aschema, and preschool children while discussing the whole procedure of the study, which is highly beneficial for the future researchers and the general readers at large. In addition, the researchers have explained their views regarding gender schema and aschema as well as the toys used and consumed by the small children while getting involved into various playing activities. The measures for different concepts related to the present study have been elaborated in details. The two components of computerized gender schematicity measure i.e. facilitated choice score and inherited choice score have been applied for the present research. The researchers have applied various kinds of toys, to which they have attributed to the masculine, feminine and neutral ones on the one hand, and having attractive and unattractive characteristics on the other. Similarly, the sample of the population has also been named as the schematic and aschematic ones, which were monitored during participant and non participant obervations of the small innocent children. Hence, the measures in the current study have thoroughly been identified. Gender roles and friendship identification have also been described in the current study. Toy preference on the basis of situational analysis, also serves as the measure to assess the gender identification and role playing. It is theoretical framework that helps out in keeping the procedure towards the right flow. Since the present study contains CAH as the conceptual framework, the identification of gender schematic and aschematic keeps the study in proper and continuous flow. In the same way, the concentration of the study remains on the gender identification during the whole process with special focus on the playing activities of the preschool children. Protection of Human Rights: Human rights protection is always sought while conducting a research process. Though, the small Israeli boys and girls belonging to the preschool age were the population or units of analysis in the present study, and no special exercise of ethics has been described, yet the implication of independent ethics review by a committee consisted of researchers could be felt by going through this study. The toys used during the study were developed keeping in view the research ethics. In addition, fathers or mothers played the role of participant observers while monitoring the children during the study. The study has been developed in a perfect error-free state, where the video tape recorder was applied in order to examine the participant and non-participant observation of the small children while playing with variety of toys containing divergent characteristics in them. Since the pre-testing has been applied where 15 children were excluded due to their absence, the risk factor was minimized to an imperative extent. The willingness of the parents of the children under study, as well as the interest and delight of the children while playing with lots of toys clearly indicate the very fact that the free, voluntary and indepenent consent of the participants had been sought before conducting the whole research procedure.Moreover, being the very small children, the formal permission of them could not be sought; it is therefore, the parents’ free will was required for the study. The distribution of the children into boys and girls on the one hand, and the schematic and aschematic on the other clearly proves the very fact that the individuals and the toys were identified and attributed with different traits, genders and characteristics. The Research Problem: The present research explicitly defines the statement of the problem in introduction as well as in conclusion. The purpose of the current research was to identify the gender role preferences among boys and girls in the presence and absence of parents, siblings, peers and toys. The study vehemnetly lays stress upon the very reality that the gender identity is more popular among the schematic boys since their childhood, while one out of four girls contains masculine gender role preferences. The research variables include the change and variance of gender role preferences among the children belonging to different genders in the presence and absence of the adult participant observers. In the same way, children’s response under some prescribed situation also serve as the variables for the present study. Furthermore, gender conflict between the small children at their initial years has also been selected as the variable in the present study. The purpose of the study is both related to nursing as well as child rearing and social cognitive behavior, not it cannot be attributed as mere confined to nursing only. The child nourishment and socialization is a very sensitive issue; it istherefore, each and every matter related to the personality development must be kept in mind. The current study is extremely beneficial in respect of measuring the very initial nature-nurture attributes of the children at large, and their action and reaction while interacting with the social environment. Hence, the research certainly provides a deep and analytical insight into the clinical and cognitive psychology of the children. Research Questions/Hypotheses: The hypotheses for the current research has formally been articulated in an imperative way. It is therefore, the present research has been conducted in a comprehensive way on the pattern of already devised framework and research paradigms. The influence of participant observer and variation in the behavior of children has been stated as the hypothsis for tis research. Hence, the whole research procedure naturally flows with the determined research procedure throughout. There can be seen no flaws in the described hypothesis and its building blocks i.e. concepts and variables. Since the research contains different hypotheses, there have been determined different variables in this research. For example, schematic and aschematic, attractive and unattractive toys, masculinity and femininity and participant and non participant observation etc have been developed as two diferent variables for each hypothesis. Moreover, the transparent description of each and every cocept makes the comprehensive objectivity of the whole research work. Review of Relevant Literature: Review of relevant literature has also been conducted in an eloquent way in the present research. The researchers have consulted eighteen relevant studies, which are quite enough to support a new research project. The relevant literature includies social, cultural, environmental, bilogical and psychological studies related to the topic, which surely makes the present research paper as a complete, comprehensive and highly beneficial one. Most of the researches, cited in the paper, were conducted during 170s and 1980s. The relevant literature logically supports the research purpose and conceptual framework of the present study. Sampling and Research Design: The quota sampling has been applied for the current research paper, on the foundations of a comprehensive research design. Choosing of the research problem and stating the hypothesis clearly reveals the researchers’ command over social research procedure. Observation has been selected as the technique, while videotapes as the tool for data collection. Though the sample consists of 116 children, which can be declared as a large one, yet it displays the complete scheme and justifies all fields required by the researchers. Quantitative measures have been exercised for the present study. Read More