“sex differences in preschoolers’

In their meta-analysis of 150 studies on risk-taking, Byrnes and colleagues (1999) find that studies overwhelmingly support the notion that males are more likely to take risks than are females, but that context and development matter—males take more risks on some activities or in some age groups than they do in others. They found support for all three of the broad theoretical frameworks that they considered as influencing risk-taking. For her part, Granie (2010) used social cognitive theories of gender development to test the hypothesis that “sex differences in preschoolers’ risk-taking will increase with age as boys’ conformity to gender-linked stereotypes increases” and finds that this is so. Drawing on both Byrnes et al. (1999) and Granie (2010) readings on unintentional injuries in infants and children, please answer all of the following questions: (1) Which of the theoretical frameworks considered in the two articles resonates the most with you? Why? (2) Based on what you recall from your own childhood, or the childhoods of your younger siblings or relatives, what factors (e.g., biological, developmental, psychological, socialization, environmental) do you think best explain documented gender differences in risk-taking in young children? (3) How does this reading relate to you personally and to your career plans? Remember, gender and sex are deeply interwoven into our lives; no matter what your intended career, there is some kind a link. Be specific!