Boys’ toys, girls’ toys: An fMRI study of mothers’ neural responses to children violating gender expectations

Description: This study examined 1) mothers’ neural responses to pictures of boys and girls who confirmed or violated social expectations regarding toy preferences, and 2) whether neural sensitivity to targets that violated gendered expectations interacted with mothers’ gender stereotypes. In an event-related fMRI experiment, 23 mothers of a 2-6 year-old child viewed and evaluated pictures of either boys or girls paired with their favorite toy. Afterwards mothers completed a computer task assessing gender stereotypes about children’s toys, and filled out questionnaires assessing stereotypes about boys’ and girls’ behavior and internal motivation to behave without prejudice.

Related article: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107776