Gendered Packaging of a STEM Toy Influences Children's Play, Mechanical Learning, and Mothers’ Play Guidance | Zendy

Coyle Emily F. | Zendy; Liben Lynn S. | Zendy

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Gendered Packaging of a STEM Toy Influences Children's Play, Mechanical Learning, and Mothers’ Play Guidance

Author(s) -

Coyle Emily F.,

Liben Lynn S.

Publication year - 2018

Publication title -

child development

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 3.103

H-Index - 257

eISSN - 1467-8624

pISSN - 0009-3920

DOI - 10.1111/cdev.13139

Subject(s) - psychology , schema (genetic algorithms) , narrative , developmental psychology , psychological intervention , social psychology , philosophy , linguistics , machine learning , psychiatry , computer science

To study effects of the gender‐packaging of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) toys, mother–child dyads (31 daughters; 30 sons; M = 5.2 years) were randomly assigned to play with a mechanical toy packaged for girls ( GoldieBlox ) or boys ( BobbyBlox ). When familiarizing themselves with the toy to prepare for play, mothers given BobbyBlox built more with toy pieces than did mothers given GoldieBlox . During dyadic play, mothers with sons built more; mothers with daughters read the toy's narrative instructions more. Children's independent play likewise varied with game packaging. Girls learned the mechanical belt‐drive principle better from playing with BobbyBlox ; boys learned the principle better from playing with GoldieBlox . Implications for gender‐schema theories, STEM interventions, and toy marketing are discussed.

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