Final answer:
False, Alexandra and Jasmine are engaging in role play, not parallel play, as they are interacting and taking on family roles together. Role play involves interaction, communication, and often reflects learned gender roles, which is different from the individual and non-interactive nature of parallel play.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alexandra and Jasmine are playing house where Alexandra pretends to be the mother and Jasmine is the big sister. This type of play is not parallel play, but rather role play. In parallel play, children play side-by-side without interacting with each other, even though they may be playing with similar toys or doing similar activities. On the other hand, role play involves taking on roles and acting out scenes together, which requires interaction and communication, as demonstrated by Alexandra and Jasmine's pretend play as family members.
Children learn gender roles through various types of play. Gender roles can be reinforced by the toys that parents provide and the behaviors they encourage. According to Caldera, Huston, and O'Brien (1998), parents often give children toys that are generally associated with their gender, leading kids to engage in play that is aligned with societal expectations for femininity and masculinity. When children act out adult behaviors, such as being a mother or a big sister, they are not only engaging in role play but also practicing the social and nurturing skills that are often associated with gender normative behaviors.