Research Questions Significance of the Study
supportive, more likely to spontaneously explore and extend themselves rather
than children who have more controlling parents as cited in Ryan, 2000, p.59.
Miller 2002 explains that in natural settings, it is difficult to assess the role of cognition because patterns of behavior are also influenced by
children‟s prior experiences. Nevertheless, a few longitudinal analyses have shown that once
children know gender stereotypes, their personal preferences show the gender type more. In her study, it has been difficult to generate neutral stimuli because
children appear to seize on any element that may implicate a gender norm so that they may categorize it as male or female. Experimental research also suggests that
young children are quick to jump to conclusions about sex differences, even on the basis of only a single instance as cited in Martin, 2004, p. 69.
Killen 2015 states that current research on conscience examines how
young children develop mechanisms for inhibiting negative behavior and promoting positive behavior as a result of internalizing parental norms.
Conscience is conceptualizedas an inner guidance or self-regulatory system involving an integration of moral emotion and conduct with limited focus on
cognition. This emphasis is partly on the development of a mutually responsive orientation between the parents and child that sensitizes the child to learn proper
conduct, codes of caring for others, and committed compliance. This is exemplified by
Kochanska‟s research on conscience Kochanska Aksan, 2006
as well as Thompson‟s research on early childhood morality Thompson,
2014 .