Gender dynamics manifest in families, schools, workplaces–anywhere that humans interact socially. As you explored throughout the course, theories to explain gender development and gender roles have grown in number, as has the body of research to explain the causes and effects of these gender dynamics.

Part of Walden University’s mission is to create scholar-practitioners committed to social change. There is tremendous potential for social change related gender-based issues, and will be as long as achievement gaps, discrimination, abuse, and inequalities persist throughout the world. This week you complete and submit your Final Project, which should be not just a literature review of a topic, but also contain proposals for how to foster positive social change related to the topic.

To prepare

· Be sure to incorporate any Instructor feedback that you received on the outline you submitted in Week 7 (if you have not done so already).

· Search the Walden Library and other reputable academic sources to locate literature related to the gender-related topic you selected.

Based on the outline you submitted in Week 7, write an 8- to 10-page paper (including title page and references) in which you do the following:

· Introduce and summarize key literature about your selected topic. Include in your summary how this topic relates to home, school, and/or work environments.

· Explain the challenges surrounding the topic. This may include challenges related to conducting research and/or how the gender topic you selected impacts individuals or society.

· Provide solutions or strategies to address the challenges related to the topic.

· Evaluate each of your proposed solutions and provide final recommendations that have opportunities for positive social change.

Previous work for assignment

The Impact of Toys on Gender Identity Development in Children

1. Introduction 

I. Explanation of gender identity development

(a) Definition of key terms

i. Gender identity

ii. Child development

iii. Gender-specific toys

(b) Psychological theories about gender identity development

i. Kohlberg’s Theory 

ii. Piaget’s Theory 

II. Background Information

(a) Toy selection criteria in children 

(b) Gender identity stereotyping by toy manufacturers 

2. Related Research

I. Child development and sexual identity

(a) Physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development.

(b) Onset of gender identity and sexual development

(c) The role of sex stereotype on children’s memory 

II. Impact of Gender-specific toys on gender identity development

(a) The impact of toy characteristics on gender identity 

(b) The impact of exposure to gender specific toys on the development of gender identity 

3.  Psychological Intervention

I. The main challenge

a. The need for more study on the role of toys in influencing gender identity

b. Toy manufacturers’ exploitation of gender stereotypes. 

c. Social impacts: the use of toys to teach certain behaviors to children.

II. Suggested solutions

a. More research into the impact of toys on child development

b. Provision of a wide range of toys for children to play with.

c. Advocacy for more neutral play environments

4. Conclusion

I. Assessment of recommended solutions 

II. Final recommendations for provision of a range of child toys and neutral play environments.

The impact of toys on gender identity development in children

I choose this topic because it is the most familiar one in our lives and that at one point we had gone through the similar experience especially when it came to toys selection.

Toys are the major assets own by the children in our environment. We find that children like toys very much but careful when it comes to selection based on the child’s gender. Boys concentrate more on toys resembling engine powered machines like tracks, bikes, and trains while the girls focus more on care toys like for example dolls, utensils and general cleanliness (Todd, et al., 2018). 

Toys impact the children psychology by creating this idea that they both should play with specific kinds of toys and grow up believing and exhibiting the same approach to other kids younger than them (Todd, Barry, & Thommessen, 2017). This trend and belief are so apparent that anyone just by looking at the toys in a given household can determine the child’s gender. 

References

Todd, B. K., Barry, J. A., & Thommessen, S. A. (2017). Preferences for ‘Gender‐typed ‘Toys in Boys and Girls Aged 9 to 32 Months. Infant and Child Development, 26(3).

Todd, B. K., Fischer, R. A., Di Costa, S., Roestorf, A., Harbour, K., Hardiman, P., & Barry, J. A. (2018). Sex differences in children’s toy preferences: A systematic review, meta‐regression, and meta‐analysis. Infant and Child Development, 27(2), e2064.