Abstract
Extending work on childhood gender differences by J. Block (“Assimilation, Accommodation and the Dynamics of Personality Development,” Child Development, 1982, 53, 281–295) and J. H. Block (“Differential Premises Arising from Differential Socialization of the Sexes: Some Conjunctures,” Child Development, 1983, 54, 1335–1354), the present research investigated assimilative and accommodative discourse devices in the speech of 24 preschool children (12 boys and 12 girls) and 24 middle-childhood youngsters (12 boys and 12 girls) in each of grades 3 and 6. Boys' discourse, regardless of age, contained more accommodative devices. Girls' discourse, regardless of age, contained more assimilative devices. Age effects were apparent; older children, regardless of gender, used more discourse devices of both kinds than younger children.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asher, S. R., Singleton, L. C., Tinsley, B. R., & Hymel, S. A reliable sociometric measure for preschool children. Developmental Psychology, 1979, 15, 443–444.
Austin, J. L. How to do things with words. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1975.
Austin, A. M. B. Young children's attention to dyadic conversation as modified by sociometric status. Genetic, Social and General Psychology Monographs, 1985, 11, 151–156.
Austin, A. M. B., & Draper, D. C. Verbal interactions of popular and rejected children with their friends and nonfriends. Child Study Journal, 1984, 14, 309–323.
Bates, E. Pragmatics and sociolinguistics in child language. In D. M. Morehead & A. E. Morehead (Eds.), Normal and deficient child language. Baltimore, MD: University Park Press, 1976.
Bernstein, B. Elaborated and restricted codes: Their social origins and some consequences. In A. G. Smith (Ed.), Communication and Culture. New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, 1966.
Berryman-Fink, C. L., & Wilcox, J. R. A multivariate investigation of perceptual attributes concerning gender appropriateness in language. Sex Roles, 1983, 9(6), 663–681.
Block, J. Assimilation, accommodation and the dynamics of personality development. Child Development, 1982, 53, 281–295.
Block, J. H. Differential premises arising from differential socialization of the sexes: Some conjunctures. Child Development, 1983, 54, 1335–1354.
Cook, A. S., Fritz, J. J., McCornack, B. L., & Visperas, C. Early gender differences in the functional use of language. Sex Roles, 1985, 12(9/10), 909–915.
Cook-Gumperz, J. Situated instructions: Language socialization of school-age children. In S. Ervin-Tripp & Mitchell-Kernan (Eds.), Child discourse. San Francisco, CA: Academic Press, 1977.
Derber, C. The pursuit of affection: Power and individualism in everyday life. New York: Oxford Press, 1979.
Dunn, L. M., & Dunn, L. M. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test — Revised: Manual for Forms L and M. Circle Pines, MN: American Guidance Service, 1981.
Eakins, B. W., & Eakins, R. G. Sex differences in human communication. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1978.
Edelsky, C. Acquisition of an aspect of communicative competence: Learning what it means to talk like a lady. In S. Ervin-Tripp & C. Mitchell-Kernan (Eds.), Child disclosure. San Francisco, CA: Academic Press, 1977.
Edelsky, C. Who's got the floor? Language in Society, 1981, 10, 383–421.
Fishman, J. A. Macrosociolinguistics and the sociology of language in the early eighties. Annual Review of Sociology, 1985, 11, 113–127.
Fishman, P. What do couples talk about when they are alone? In D. Butturff & E. L. Epstein (Eds.), Women's language and style. Arkon, OH: University of Akron Press, 1979.
Fishman, P. M. Interaction: The work women do. Social Problems, 1978, 25(4), 397–406.
Flavell, J. H., Botkin, P. T., Fry, C. L., Jr., Wright, J. W., & Jarvis, P. E. The development of role-taking and communication skills in children. Huntington, NY: R. E. Krieger Co., 1975.
Hollingshead, A. B., & Redlich, F. C. Social class and mental illness. New York: Wiley, 1958.
Hymel, S. Preschool children's peer relations: Issues in sociometric assessment. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 1983, 24, 237–260.
Hymes, D. Formal discussion. In U. Bellugi & R. Brown (Eds.), The acquisition of language. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 1964, 29, 107–112.
Hymes, D. Competence and performance and performance in linguistic theory. In R. Huxley & E. Ingram (Eds.), Language acquisition: Models and methods. London, England: Academic Press, 1971.
Hymes, D. Foreword. In E. Ochs & B. B. Schieffelin (Eds.), Acquiring conversational competence. Boston, MA: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1983.
Kemper, S. When to speak like a lady. Sex Roles, 1984, 10(5/6), 435–443.
Lakoff, R. Language and woman's place. Language in Society, 1983, 2, 45–80.
Lamb, T. A. Nonverbal and paraverbal control in dyads and triads: Sex or power differences. Social Psychology Quarterly, 1981, 44(1), 49–53.
Leffler, A., Gillespie, D. L., & Conaty, J. C. The effects of status differentiation on nonverbal behavior. Social Psychology Quarterly, 1982, 45(3), 153–161.
McCarrick, A. K., Marderscheid, R. W., & Silbergeld, S. Gender differences in competition and dominance during married-couples group therapy. Social Psychology Quarterly, 1981, 44(3), 164–177.
Peery, J. C. Popular, amiable, isolated, rejected: A reconceptualization of sociometric status in preschool children. Child Development, 1979, 50, 1231–1234.
Putnam, L. L., & Sherchock, L. Verbal and nonverbal determinants of dominance in sex-type male, sex-type female, and androgynous dyads. Paper presented at International Communication Association, Chicago, 1978.
Searle, J. R. Speech acts. Cambridge, London: University Press, 1970.
Shatz, M. The relationship between cognitive processes and the development of communication skills. In H. E. Hocek and C. B. Keasey (Eds.), Nebraska symposium on motivation (Vol. 25). Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1977.
Soskin, W. F., John, V. P. The study of spontaneous talk. In R. Barker (Ed.), The stream of behavior. New York: Irvington Publisher, 1963.
The Preliminary Technical Report of the California Test of Basic Skills. (1982). CTB/McGraw-Hill, Monterey, CA.
Thorne, B., & Henley, N. (Eds.). Language and sex: Difference and dominance. Rowley, MA: Newbury House Publishers, 1975.
Trenholm, S., & Todd-de-Mancillas, W. The effects of sexist language in interpersonal judgments. In S. L. Burryman & V. A. Eman (Eds.), Communication, language and sex. Rowley, MA: Newbury House Publishers, 1980.
Vetterling-Braggin, M. (Ed.). Sexist language: A modern philosophical analysis. Totowa, NJ: Rowman and Littlefield, 1981.
Wager, D. G., Ford, R. S., & Ford, T. W. Can gender inequalities be reduced? American Sociological Review, 1986, 51(1), 47–61.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berghout Austin, A.M., Salehi, M. & Leffler, A. Gender and developmental differences in children's conversations. Sex Roles 16, 497–510 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00292484
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00292484