Focusing on those elements of children's preferences which link gender to social structure, the present study analyzes children's letters to Santa Claus. Findings show boys' and girls' requests to be similar when aspects of the child's world are measured and quite different when qualities representing the adult social order are measured.…

Examines elementary school children's concept of authority with regard to the age and social position of command-giver and the type of command given. Shows that children's evaluation of adult and peer authority were based on a combination of age and position in the social context. (HOD)

Two studies examined middle- and lower-class Brazilian children's concepts of personal choice and social regulation. Found that subjects maintained a heterogeneous orientation to rules and authority which includes personal choice. Class differences indicated that hierarchical social structures affect children's sense of autonomy. However,…

This study examined the power of nonshared environment to differentiate adolescent monozygotic twin development and the extent to which this power varied across social structural contexts. Findings indicated that differences in maternal closeness, teacher bonding, and religious participation differentiated twins on emotional distress. Family…

Examines whether there are sex differences during middle childhood in children's choices to participate in activities differing in level of adult-provided structure; effects of structure on children's compliance, leadership, and recognition seeking directed to adults and to peers; and relation of sex-typed social skills or dispositions and…