PLAY, TOYS AND GENDER SOCIALIZATION
Abstract
Socialization is the process whereby the infant learns how to become a member of the society by adapting to the ways of the culture he/she lives in .Four agents of socialization: family, school, peer groups and mass media guide him/her through the way.
Gender socialization is a very important dimension of socialization, it is the process during which children of different sexes are socialized into their gender roles and are taught what it means to be male or female.
Amongst the most important components of gender socialization are play and toys which serve as the key tools that provide the infant with the appropriate gender traits.
Besides their psychological and pedagogical aspects, the sociological functions of play and toys can be analyzed in the cultural context in order to emphasize their importance in child development.
Culture plays an important role in the assignment of gender –appropriate traits to the infants and play and toys function as the key elements in the process.
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