Hassett et al -sex difference in monkey toy preference

Question 1

what is the aim of the study
(Hassett et al)

Answer 1

1) to investigate sex differences in toy preferences of rhesus monkeys (macaca mulatta)

2) to compare the sex differences in toy preferences in monkey to humans

3) to see if the socialization process or biological mechanisms affect sex stereotypical toy choice

Question 2

what was the method
(Hassett et al )

Answer 2

field experiment because it took place in the monkeys normal outdoor housing

observation
through video cameras and structured observation through the use of a behavioral checklist

Question 3

why was a correlation used ?

(Hassett et al)

Answer 3

a correlation was used to test the relationship between monkey toy preference and those of human children

Question 4

what was the iv

(Hassett et al)

Answer 4

Sex of the monkey - male or female

Question 5

what was the dv

(Hassett et al)

Answer 5

toy preference

Question 6

what was the sample Hassett

Answer 6

21 male and 61 females rhesus monkeys living in natal birth groups as part of a wider group of 135 monkeys at the yerkes primate research station in the usa

Question 7

why were some of the monkeys not studied Hassett

Answer 7

14 adults were not studied because they received hormone treatments

39 young infants were excluded because they could not be reliably identified

Question 8

what was the experimental design Hassett

Answer 8

independent measures
because the monkeys were either in the male or female condition

Question 9

how were the toys categorised Hassett

Answer 9

they were categorised in two groups based on their properties as objects rather than the gender type

Question 10

describe the monkeys housing Hassett

Answer 10

they were housed in a 25 by 25 metre outdoor area with access to a temperature controlled indoor environment

Question 11

what method was used to collect data Hassett

Answer 11

observations

Question 12

what type of sampling was it Hassett

Answer 12

opportunity sampling was used , the researchers use monkeys that are in the Yerkes Research station that are available

Question 13

how was the dv operationalised
(measured) hassett

Answer 13

it was operationalised by
a)timing how long the monkeys interacted with the toys either plush or wheeled

b) by counting the frequency of the behaviour categories in the checklist.

Question 14

list the 4 out of the 7 plush toys Hassett

Answer 14

-winnie the pooh
-raggedy ann
-the turtle
-a teddy bear
-scooby doo
-an armadillo
-a koala bear hand puppet
the toys varied in color and shape

Question 15

list the 4 out of the 6 wheeled toys Hassett

Answer 15

• • a truck
• • a car
• • a shopping cart
• -a wagon
• -a construction vehicle
• -a dump truck

Question 16

list 5 behaviours of the monkeys and the description of the behaviour Hassett

Answer 16

extended touch - placing a hand or foot on the toy

sit on - seated on the toy or part of the toy

carry in arm - moving with toy in arm and off the ground

destroy - using mouth or hands to bite or tear toy

throw - project into air with hands

Question 17

what were the materials used to obtain data Hassett

Answer 17

video cameras

Question 18

describe results in the study related to females only Hasset

Answer 18

-females preferred plush toys than wheeled toys but the preference was not** significant**.

• rank was correlated positively with the duration of interaction for the plush toy and not the wheeled toy

Question 19

describe results in the study related to males only Hassett

Answer 19

males SIGNIFICANTLY preferred wheeled toys compared to plush toys

males duration of interaction was significantly longer with wheeled toys compared to plush toys.

Question 20

describe two results in the study related to females only must contain numerical data
Hassett

Answer 20

-the percentage of females who preferred wheeled toys was 39

• plush toys was 30
• the mean duration of interaction in minutes with ;
• plush toys - 1.49
  -wheeled toys - 1.27

mean frequency of interaction ;
plushed toys = 7.97
wheeled toys = 6.96

Question 21

name the primary sex hormone for men and women and give a brief explanation as what they do

Answer 21

-

Question 22

describe two results in the study related to males only must include numerical data Hassett

Answer 22

the percentage of males preferring wheeled toys was 73

• the percentage preferring plush toys 9
• the mean frequency of interaction with;
• plush toys = 2.06 in males
• wheeled toys= 9.77

mean duration of intercation with ;
plush toys = 0.53
wheeled toys = 4.76

Question 23

explain how average frequency was calculated in the study Hassett

Answer 23

average frequency was calculated by dividing the number of raw frequencies by number of trials

avg freq = raw frequency ÷ no. of trials

Question 24

explain how average duration was calculated Hassett

Answer 24

average duration was calculated by dividing total duration by number of trails

avg duration = total duration ÷ no. of trials

Question 25

describe the psychology investigated in hassett et al

Answer 25

sex differences - There is a difference in male and female brain structure and hormones,, resulting in sex differences.

Socialization - this is the process of learning to behave in socially acceptable ways .These behaviours differ between the two genders.

Play- behaviour done for the purpose of fun rather than any useful purpose typically observed in childhood , can be solitory or social , may involve interaction with an obkect (toy)

Gender stereotype- bias of assigning particular traits to a particular gender, for example- assigning aggression as a male-typed trait.

Question 26

strengths Hassett et al

Answer 26

• high in reliability , because of standardisation measures e.g standard duration of exposure of 25 min each trial , standard toys
• high in ecological validity because it was a field experiment
• ethics , the study did not break any ethical guidelines

Question 27

weaknesses Hassett et al

Answer 27

-low generalisability , the study used macaca mulatta species of monkeys this means that the data obtained from the this species of monkey may not generalise to other species of monkeys

There is a chance observer bias may have increased subjectivity. The researchers who analysed the tapes were familiar with the monkeys and their gender and this could have led them to unintentionally code the behaviour of the monkeys differently to their actual behaviour.

Question 28

individual vs situational debate Hassett et al

Answer 28

• one of the plush toys was torn apart 7 minutes into the trial this is a reflection of individual differences in behaviour
  social rank affected toy preference in female monkeys this shows that rank altered the female monkeys behaviour.

Question 29

nature vs nurture Hassett et al

Answer 29

nature , the monkeys in the study were not socialised to prefer wheeled or plushed toys but they still showed preferences like the human child this shows that biological factors e.g hormones are the reason for differences in toy preference between males and females

Question 30

how was counterbalancing used Hassett

Answer 30

wheeled and plush toys were counterbalanced between the right and left placement locations in each trial. to minimize order effect

Question 31

how were individual differences minimized
Hassett

Answer 31

by standardisation measures , they all used the same toys , the same behaviour categories were being observed , same outdoor are with standard measurements 25 by 25

Question 33

What was the procedure in the study by hassett

Answer 33

Seven 25-minute trials were completed in the outdoor enclosure, each with a different pair of toys. Before each observation, observers placed a pair of toys (1 wheeled, 1 plush) outside while the monkeys waited inside. Toys were placed 10 metres apart and their positions were counterbalanced (to ensure the monkeys didn’t prefer a certain area of the enclosure).

Question 34

In the study by Alexander and Hines on vervet monkeys , the toys were presented separately to the monkeys in the study.

What are two ways in which the study by Hassett is different to the above study [4mks]

Answer 34

the study by Alexander and Hines used Vervet monkeys while the study by Hassett used Rhesus monkeys

In hassett study the toys were presented simultaneously and in the study by Alexander the toys were presented separately

Question 35

Why did one trial end 7 minutes early?
in the study by hassett

Answer 35

because the monkey tore the plush toy into several pieces

Question 36

Describe how the monkeys in Hassett et al were maintained in the Yerkes primate …

Answer 36

-Consistent access to water
-They were feed monkey chow twice a day
-They were provided with fruits and vegetables once a day
-The study was approved by Emory’s institutional animal care and use committee

Question 37

Why is the study by Hassett from the biological approach

Answer 37

An assumption of the approach is that behaviour , emotions and cognitions can be explained in terms of the working of the brain and the effect of hormones , genetics and evolution.

Hassett proposed that sex differences in toy play were a result of differences in the prenatal hormonal environments of males and females. in monkeys , these are strictly biological.

Question 38

Describe the correlation that was conducted as part of the Hassett et al study. [1]

Answer 38

Rs looked to see whether there was a correlation between rank within the social hierarchy and the frequency or duration of activities with each toy type