Associations between childhood gender-typed behavior and empathizing–systemizing cognitive styles in a heterosexual and homosexual sample in China.

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  • Author(s): Zheng, Lijun (AUTHOR)
  • Source:
    Current Psychology. Jun2023, Vol. 42 Issue 16, p13467-13474. 8p.
  • Additional Information
    • Subject Terms:
      COGNITIVE styles; LESBIANS; GENDER nonconformity; HETEROSEXUAL women; GAY men; SEXUAL orientation
    • Subject Terms:
      CHINA
    • Abstract:
      Childhood gender nonconformity (CGN) is related to human sexual orientation and several adult personality traits and cognitive abilities. Using an online sample of 1427 participants (239 heterosexual men, 266 heterosexual women, 492 gay men and 430 lesbian women) recruited from websites that cater to these groups in China, the present study examined the associations between participants' recollection of CGN and empathizing–systemizing (E–S) cognitive styles. CGN was positively correlated with the systemizing cognitive style in heterosexual women and lesbian women. Women who had a higher CGN level (masculine profile) tended to have a higher systemizing cognitive style. CGN was negatively correlated with systemizing in heterosexual men and gay men. Men who had a higher CGN level (feminine profile) tended to have a lower systemizing cognitive style. The E–S discrepancy reflects a dimension of individual differences in dispositional cognitive style. A higher proportion of sex-atypical heterosexual men and gay men than sex-typical men showed E > S cognitive profiles (female profile), and a higher proportion of sex-atypical heterosexual women and lesbian women than sex-typical lesbian women showed S > E cognitive profiles (male profile). The results indicated that masculine CGN was associated with high systemizing cognitive style in both heterosexual and homosexual individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
    • Abstract:
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