Question Details

Read the following statements and choose the correct option :
Assertion (A) : At a very early age, girls in most cultures across the world choose dolls as toys while boys prefer to play with cars.
Reason (R) : Children organize information about what is considered appropriate for a boy or a girl on the basis of what a particular culture expects and behave accordingly.

Options

Both (A) and (R) are false.

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).

(A) is true, but (R) is false.

Show Answer

Correct Answer :

Option B

Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Solution :

Correct Answer: Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).

Step-by-Step Explanation:

1. Analysis of Assertion (A):

Assertion (A) states: "At a very early age, girls in most cultures across the world choose dolls as toys while boys prefer to play with cars."

This statement is an accurate description of a widely observed behavioral trend in child development across many societies. From an early age, children are socialized into gender-typical play preferences, where girls often gravitate toward dolls or nurturing toys and boys toward cars, action figures, or active toys. Thus, Assertion (A) is true.

2. Analysis of Reason (R):

Reason (R) states: "Children organize information about what is considered appropriate for a boy or a girl on the basis of what a particular culture expects and behave accordingly."

According to gender schema theory and social cognitive theories of child development, children actively form cognitive structures (schemas) based on societal and cultural gender expectations. They observe social norms, categorize behaviors, toys, and roles as "for boys" or "for girls," and adjust their own preferences and behaviors to align with these cultural expectations. Therefore, Reason (R) is true.

3. Relationship between (A) and (R):

Reason (R) directly explains why the phenomenon described in Assertion (A) occurs. Children choose gender-stereotyped toys (like dolls or cars) precisely because their surrounding culture communicates specific gender roles, which the children internalize into gender schemas that guide their choices. Thus, (R) provides the correct underlying psychological and developmental explanation for (A).

Conclusion:

Since both statements are true and Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A), the correct option is "Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A)."