The relationships between childhood tomboyism, siblings' activities, and adult gender roles

Two studies were designed to examine whether siblings and participation in masculine activities influence tomboyism. The influence of tomboyism on adult gender roles was also examined. Study 1 utilized 193 mainly European American undergraduate women. Results indicated that participation in masculine activities was related to tomboyism. Having a brother was only marginally related to tomboyism. Study 2, a replication with 284 undergraduate women, added participants' ethnicity and employment status of mothers as variables. Slightly more than half of the women were European American, with smaller numbers of African American, Asian American, and Hispanic American women. In both studies, tomboyism was related to masculinity in adulthood. No significant relationships were found between tomboyism and ethnicity or mother's employment status. (Original abstract)