Gender Differences in Emotional Language in Children's Picture Books

Numerous examinations of children's picturebooks have found that they are gender biased againstfemales in terms of character prevalence in titles,pictures and central role, and in the type of activities engaged in by characters. This study examineda differentpotential area of gender stereotyping, genderdifferences in emotional language. Books that were readto/by a sample of primarily Caucasian preschool children during a one-week period were examinedfor evidence of stereotyping. Analysis of characterprevalence indicated that males had higherrepresentation in titles, pictures and central role.Contrary to expectation, males and females wereassociated with equal amounts of emotional language. Inaddition, no differences were found in the types ofemotional words associated with males andfemales.