title: Differentiation of childhood body gestures.
abstract: 9 expressive body gestures were recorded while 180 boys and girls of three age groups (4--5 yr., 7--8 yr., and 10--11 yr.) individually performed a standardized play task. Analysis of variance showed a significant overall difference in gestures between the sexes, and 5 of the gestures ("limp wrist," "arm flutters," "flexed elbow," "hand clasp," and "palming") occurred significantly more frequently in girls than boys. There was an interaction between sex and age for the "hands-on-hips with fingers forward" gesture. No differences associated with sex of experimenter were found.
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005868:Gestures; D006801:Humans; D007697:Kinesics; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012737:Sex Factors; D013997:Time Factors