Instrumental and expressive socialization: A false dichotomy

Barry, Bacon, and Child's (1957) cross-cultural study of sex differences in childhood socialization has been influential in bolstering the instrumental—expressive sex-role dichotomy. We critique their method of data analysis and factor analyze their data. Expressive and instrumental socialization are found to be separate factors or dimensions, rather than opposite ends of a single dichotomy. Additionally, no factor representing sex differences in socialization emerges, but rather each factor tends to contain substantively similar emphases in the training of both boys and girls.