Gender Differences
Given the close connection between TCR, SR, and SE, recent studies have
shed light on consistent gender patterns among preschoolers in these
behaviors (Walker & Graham, 2021). Grounded in gender role
socialization, researchers posit that girls tend to foster more close
relationships with teachers, while boys lean towards peer interactions
(Walker & Graham, 2021). Consequently, TCR is closer with girls
compared to boys, resulting in fewer conflicts (Zahn-Waxler et al.,
2008). However, the gender role as a central focus in the connection
between TCR, SR, and SE has yielded contradictory results. Some research
indicates that girls tend to develop stronger behavioral regulation and
emotional understanding when they have positive TCR (Ewing & Taylor,
2009). Conversely, boys in conflict TCR may exhibit more aggressive
behavior (Brock & Curby, 2014), and these effects can be long-lasting
(Jerome et al., 2009). However, other studies suggest that although
gender differences exist in TCR, their impact on SR and SE (Horn et al.,
2021) does not exhibit significant gender differences.
Meanwhile, these inconsistent findings extend to the moderating role of
gender in SR, SE, and academic performance. Some studies point to girls
outperforming boys in SR (Reilly et al., 2019), SE (Karaca & Bektas,
2022), and vocabulary (Bornstein et al., 2004). Conversely, boys tend to
excel in mathematics (Lin & Powell, 2023). Potential factors
contributing to the achievement gap between girls and boys include
differences in children’s SR (George & Robitzsch, 2018) and SE
(Veijalainen et al., 2019). For example, girls’ prosocial behavior tends
to have a stronger relationship with academic knowledge than boys’
behavior (Bierman et al., 2009). Although multiple studies indicate that
SR, SE, and academic performance are interconnected developmental
processes (Salmon et al., 2016), there are inconsistent findings as well
(Slot et al., 2020). Gender differences in SR may vary across different
cultures, being more pronounced in the Western settings (Matthews et
al., 2009) and less significant in Asian contexts (Wanless et al.,
2011). No evidence suggesting that gender influences the relationship
between SR and academic achievement (Montroy et al., 2014).
Additionally, gender differences in academic performance are not
pronounced in the 3-6 age range (Entwisle et al., 2007), and girls’
vocabulary advantage may diminish after age 6 (Bornstein et al., 2004).
Moreover, in tasks related to numeracy (Hutchison et al., 2019) or SE
(Doctoroff et al., 2016), there appear to be no significant gender
differences.
In light of these conflicting findings concerning the moderating
influence of gender on TCR, SR, SE, and academic achievement, further
research is essential. Exploring whether gender differences universally
act as moderating factors, which variables are moderated by these gender
differences, and how different genders exhibit variations in these
variables will provide valuable insights into the complex relationships
among them.