SEX-ROLE IDENTIFICATION IN PREADOLESCENCE
MORRIS
A.
FORSLUND
AND
RONALD
E.
HULL
University
of
Wyoming
Stale University College
of
New
York
at Fredonia
The development of
a
school experience of interest to students is
a
well recog-
nized but unresolved enigma in education. To this point identification theory
largely has been neglected
as
a
possible basis for the partial resolution of this prob-
lem. By determining the types of persons children admire and respect, it may be
possible to devise school experiences that are both meaningful and relevant and
that also aid students
to
learn their appropriate sex roles. Toward this end, the
present study provides data that concern the sex and role relationships between
preadolescent boys and girls and those persons with whom they identify. The study
focuses on the preadolescent stage
of development because it is at this level that
societal pressure to demonstrate sex-appropriate behavior becomes most intense,
perhaps especially
so
for boys (Beisser,
1967,
pp.
9-11).
Identification and imitation are very closely related concepts. In fact, Mussen
(19G9)
has stated that
“it
is franldy difficult to make precise or rigorous differentia-
tion between them
.
.
.
[p.
7181.”
Bandura and Walters
(1963)
have written that:
“observational learning is generally labeled ‘imitation’ in experimental psychology
and ‘identification’ in theories of personality. Both concepts, however, encompass
the same behavioral phenomena, namely the tendency for
a
person to reproduce the
actions, attitudes, or emotional responses exhibited by models
.
. . [p.
891.”
According to Mussen
(1969)
:
“For role theorists, identification is equated with
kale
playing,’
e.g.,
identification with the father is synonymous with ‘playing the
father’s role
.
. . [p.
7201.’’
He goes on to add that “Identification with the like-
sexed parent is often regarded
as
a
sine
qua
nun
of appropriate sex typing .
.
. [p.
7211.”
The person with whom one tends to identify may be termed
a
role model
or
a
reference individual.
As lllerton
(1957)
has indicated: “Emulation of
a
peer,
a
parent or
a
public figure may be restricted to limited segments of their behavior and
values and this can be usefully described
as
adoption of
a
role model. Or, emulation
may be extended to
a
wide array of behaviors and values of these persons who can
then be described
as
reference individuals .
. .
[p.
3031.”
Thus, one may identify
with an individual to
a
greater or lesser degree and may attempt to emulate many
or only
a
few of that person’s characteristics.
Identification may be conceived of both
as
a
process and
as
a
product of re-
warding role relationships. However, the present state of knowledge concerning
identification does not permit
a
distinction between antecedents and intrinsic
properties of identification. Nevertheless, identification is not idiosyncratic but
is
“patterned by structurally determined and statistically frequent career sequences,
actual, anticipated, or desired
.
. . [filerton,
1957,
p.
3131.”
And it is most likely to
occur in psychologically rewarding relationships.
There is ample evidence to indicate that children tend to identify with their
parents, particularly with the same-sex parent (Rlussen,
1969,
p.
729)
;
however,
identification also may occur with respect to other members
of
the child’s role set
(Jrerton,
1957,
p.
115).
Successive levels of identification represent complex re-