Biological approach: Hassett et al. (monkey toy preferences)

Psychology AS · The core studies. The idea in plain words, the rules to remember, the mistake to avoid and a worked example, written and checked by Mega Lecture.

Test this topic free All Psychology AS topics

The idea

Boys and girls tend to choose different toys. Is this taught by parents and society, or is part of it biological, for example through hormones? Hassett et al. (2008) tested rhesus monkeys, because monkeys are not taught human gender roles.

Monkeys living in a social group were given two kinds of toy in their outdoor area: wheeled toys (seen as masculine) and plush toys (seen as feminine). Trials were filmed, and observers used a behavioural checklist to record how often and for how long each monkey used each toy.

Male monkeys used wheeled toys much more than plush toys. Females used both kinds about equally. This is like the pattern in children, so biology seems to play a part in sex differences in play.

Rules to remember

Sample: 34 rhesus monkeys in the analysis (11 males, 23 females), living in one social group at a research centre.
Toys: 6 wheeled (e.g. truck, wagon) and 7 plush (e.g. teddy bear), one of each kind put out in each of seven 25-minute trials.
Independent variable: sex of the monkey (naturally occurring, not manipulated). Dependent variable: frequency and duration of contact with each toy type.
Design: independent measures for the comparison of males with females; data collected by observation.
Result: males preferred wheeled toys; females showed no significant preference.
Children were not tested: the monkey results were compared with earlier published data on children.
Weaknesses: monkeys are not humans, and the toys were labelled masculine or feminine by people, not by the monkeys.

Common mistake

Students write that the study proves toy preference is caused by biology alone. It shows only that biology may contribute; socialisation can still shape what children choose.

Worked example

In the study, males chose wheeled toys far more than plush toys, but females used both about equally. Does this still support a biological explanation of toy preference?

Monkeys are not taught which toys are for boys or girls, so socialisation by humans cannot explain a sex difference.
The males showed a clear preference, like boys in the child data.
Girls in the child data are also less fixed in their toy choice than boys, so the females' result fits the human pattern too.

Answer: Yes. The sex difference appeared without human socialisation, so it supports a biological contribution, although not biology as the only cause.

Ask about this

Type what you are stuck on. The helper finds the explanation, worked examples and the notes to read, free and instant.

Keep going

← Biological approach: Dement and Kleitman (sleep and dreams)Biological approach: Hölzel et al. (mindfulness and brain scans) →Take a Psychology AS test