Psychological Sex Type and Preferences for Musical Instruments in Fourth and Fifth Graders

Abstract

Music education researchers have found biological sex to be in important determinant of whether elementary students persevere in musical instrument training. Psychological sex type may also play an important role. A sample of 108 students from two elementary schools completed the Children's Sex Role Inventory (Boldizar, 1991) and, following a presentation of nine typical band instruments, completed a survey assessing most- and least-preferred instruments. Results showed that masculine sex-typed students preferred, masculine-stereotyped instruments, feminine sex-typed students preferred feminine-stereotyped instruments, and androgynous students preferred neutral instruments. The converse pattern was obtained for least-preferred instruments, with the exception that androgynous children disliked both categories of sex-typed instruments. These results suggest that to enhance retention in musical instrument education, children's psychosocial identity ought to be considered.

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