Final answer:
The authors believe that sex-typed play is influenced by more than just adult and peer influence because children still exhibit traditional gender play preferences in environments without such influences. This points to potential innate predispositions or a blend of nature and nurture factors. The process of socialization plays a significant role in teaching children gender roles from an early age.
Step-by-step explanation:
The authors believe that sex-typed play is not simply the result of adult and peer influence because even in environments where there is no direct influence, children tend to exhibit preferences for toys and activities that align with their gender. This suggests that there are other factors at play beside adult and peer influences, possibly including innate predispositions or a complex interplay between nature and nurture in understanding gender roles. The correct answer to the question is c) Because even in non-influential environments, children exhibit sex-typed play.
Children become aware of gender roles early on, and these roles are heavily influenced through the process of socialization. Socialization can include family influence where, for example, boys and girls are given different types of toys and receive different types of feedback. Cross-cultural studies indicate that by the age of two or three, children are already attuned to societal expectations of gender and by four or five, they are deeply entrenched in culturally appropriate gender behaviors.
It is important to understand that while sex is biological, gender is a cultural construct that assigns roles, relationships, responsibilities, and rights differently to people based on their biological sex. These gender categories are not inherited but are instead learned and variable across cultures and time frames, making childhood a critical period for gender enculturation.