Sidorowicz and Lunney (1980) asked adults to play with a 10-month-old infant they did not know. Some were told that the infant was female while others were told the infant was male. All were given a rubber football, a doll, and a teething ring to play with. What did the researchers find with regard to how the adults played with the infant?

The correct answer is:

The adults who were told that the infant was male will play with the infant using the rubber football. The adults who were told that the infant was female will play with the infant using the doll.

Explanation:

The physical characteristics of an infant do not develop such that a male and a female child can be distinguished. This is because the hormones that define the sexual characteristics of a male and a female individual is secreted only at puberty. Hence, a male or a female infant look alike. As the adults are unable to understand the gender of the infant by looking at its physical features, they rely on the information provided to them about the gender of the infant. By child psychology, male infants have a preference to play with balls and female infants have a preference to play with dolls. Accordingly, the adult who knows that the infant is male will play with it using a ball and the adult who knows that the infant is a female will play with it using a doll.