Gender‐stereotypical attribution of fear and fearlessness in preschool children

Fear and fearlessness are two distinct emotional responses that can occur when a person faces a potentially dangerous situation. These responses seem to be linked to gender stereotypes (fearful female and fearless male). This study examines whether preschool children attribute fear and fearlessness stereotypically in relation to gender and whether their attributions vary as a function of age and gender. One hundred and twenty children (60 boys and 60 girls) aged 3, 4 and 5 years participated in this study. We examined children's gender-stereotypical performance through emotional scenarios and drawing tasks involving fear and fearlessness conditions. The results showed that children's performance was equally stereotypical in the two conditions. An age effect was found: children's gender stereotypical attributions increased with age. The results showed no differences in children's stereotypical performance in regards to their gender and task type (emotional scenarios and drawing tasks). The significance and implications of these findings are discussed in the context of gender-emotion stereotypes.