Gender-typed play and amniotic testosterone.
Sex differences in play are apparent in a number of mammalian species, including humans. Prenatal testosterone may contribute to these differences. The authors report the first attempt to correlate gender-typed play in a normative sample of humans with measurements of amniotic testosterone (aT). Testosterone was measured in the amniotic fluid of 53 children (31 boys and 22 girls). A strong sex difference was observed in aT and, at ages 4.75 to 5.8 years, on a modified version of the Child Game Participation Questionnaire. Hierarchical regression analyses on the entire group and within-sex correlations suggested that variations in aT did not contribute to individual differences in game participation as reported by the mother. A critique of explanations for this finding is presented.
Knickmeyer
Rebecca Christine
RC
Autism Research Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. rk250@cam.ac.uk
Wheelwright
Sally
S
Taylor
Kevin
K
Raggatt
Peter
P
Hackett
Gerald
G
Baron-Cohen
Simon
S
D000649:Amniocentesis / Q000379:methods; D000653:Amniotic Fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010988:Play and Playthings; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*
D013739:Testosterone