According to studies on gender differences in emotional expression, which statement is true?

According to studies on gender differences in emotional expression, which statement is true?

• A. Adults tend to talk about their emotions more with girls than with boys.
• B. Adults talk about emotions equally with girls and boys.
• C. Children express emotions more openly with boys than girls.
• D. Boys and girls show identical patterns of emotional talk.

Answer: (A)

Adults tend to talk about emotions more with girls than with boys, reflecting socialization that encourages girls to express feelings and often discourages boys from showing vulnerability. This pattern shows up across caregivers and various settings, where conversations about emotions are more readily invited with girls and may be more muted with boys. The other statements don’t fit with what the studies consistently find: emotion talk isn’t equal for boys and girls, and it’s not the case that children express emotions more openly with boys or that patterns are identical across genders.

Adults tend to talk about emotions more with girls than with boys, reflecting socialization that encourages girls to express feelings and often discourages boys from showing vulnerability. This pattern shows up across caregivers and various settings, where conversations about emotions are more readily invited with girls and may be more muted with boys. The other statements don’t fit with what the studies consistently find: emotion talk isn’t equal for boys and girls, and it’s not the case that children express emotions more openly with boys or that patterns are identical across genders.