Sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence

To date, the problem of gender-gender formation is becoming more and more relevant in Russian psychology. The breakdown of cultural traditions, which manifests itself in the masculinization of women and the feminization of men; an increase in the number of divorces, as a result of which the child often has only one parent raising him; frequent cases of abandonment of children, as a result of which the child is generally deprived of the image of masculinity and femininity in the context of the distribution of intra-family roles. In addition, visiting a psychologist with the problem of gender-gender self-determination has become an extremely frequent phenomenon in psychological practice.

Sexual identity is by no means a sharply emerging construct in a person's self-consciousness, but on the contrary, it is a complex dynamic structure that begins its formation at an early preschool age^{[1, 6, 14, 18, 19]}. And by adolescence, when a child has a change of interests, a value system is actively developing, areas of interpersonal communication become particularly important, sexual identification reaches a new, significant level, which determines the need for its detailed study in this age period^{[2, 5, 7, 24]}.

The formation and development of a positive sexual identity of a teenager is an important condition for full-fledged personal development, successful socialization and preparation for life in society. Sexual identity is one of the basic characteristics of a person that determines self-awareness and regulates gender-role behavior of a person^{[11, 17, 22]}.

In general, the problems of gender-gender issues in Russian psychology have been considered in the works of many authors. Thus, R. Stoller believed that the core of sexual identity is laid in the prenatal period, thereby emphasizing the biological conditionality of this construct. And only later, in the process of development, specific identifications with other objects of their own and opposite sexes contribute to the emergence of male and female traits in the structure of self-consciousness of the person himself ^{[16, 20]}.  

Y. L. Kolominsky and M. H. Meltsas describe sexual identity through the passage of certain stages. So, at the first stage, a person becomes aware of his belonging to a certain gender during which the unity of consciousness and behavior is realized. And at the second stage, sexual identity appears in the form of assimilation of the role of a man or a woman ^[15].

V. L. Sitnikov believes that it is not necessary to limit oneself to the concept of "sexual identity", suggesting the meaning of "gender-sexual identity". By this definition, the author understands the part of self-consciousness that is responsible for a person's experience of himself as a representative of a certain gender. V. L. Sitnikov points out that the concept of "gender-sexual identity" is more capacious and broad, due to the fact that gender implies a holistic image of a person, and not only the role aspect. In addition, this category is the basic one in the process of understanding one's own Self^[21].

I.S. Kletsina in her writings focuses on the importance of the role of parents in the gender-gendered socialization of a child, pointing out that from early childhood, boys and girls develop and consolidate certain personality qualities that correlate with the categories of masculinity or femininity ^{[12, 13]}.

A.I. Zakharov studied aspects of sexual identification of a child through their identification with the image of parents, and N.L. Belopolskaya considered the specifics of gender and age self-identification in children and adults with the allocation of attractive and unattractive Self-image ^{[3, 8, 9]}.  

V. E. Kagan was engaged in the study of gender role attitudes and stereotypes of masculinity and femininity in adolescents, who came to the conclusion that sexual identity can be considered only through the relationship of bodily, psychophysiological, psychological and socio-cultural levels of masculinity and femininity^[10].

It is impossible not to note the importance of S. Bem's scientific developments. In his theory of the gender scheme, the author considers the existence of three types of people with different gender identity, which, in turn, depends on which behaviors are supported and encouraged in a particular culture^[4].

N.Y. Flotskaya in her numerous works described the ontogenetic aspects of the development of sexual identity. In her opinion, sexual identity is a complex evolutionary-involutional structure, which has its own dynamics in its structural components (cognitive, emotional and conative) ^{[22, 23]}.

In our study, sexual identity is considered as a complexly organized system that consists of separate structural components that are in relationships and connections with each other, which form a certain integrity. In this context, gender identity is a set of cognitive, emotional and behavioral components. Thus, the cognitive component is determined by the teenager's ideas about his gender identity, the degree of awareness of his own sexual role, identification with the gender and age image.

The emotional component of sexual identity, acting as the second component of this construct, is characterized by the attitude of a teenager to what he has to see, learn, understand about himself and other subjects as representatives of a certain sex. The formation is based on an emotional attitude to oneself and one's sexual identity through the perception of child-parent relationships with parents of different genders.

Finally, the behavioral component of sexual identity is represented by the peculiarities of the manifestation of behavioral reactions, which manifest themselves in the assignment of a particular sexual role by a teenager. By sexual role we mean a system of behavioral manifestations, which is correlated with belonging to a certain gender and manifests itself in traditional stereotypes of masculinity and femininity.

Thus, the possibility of a comprehensive study of the sexual identity of adolescent girls and boys is possible only if a systematic approach is implemented during the study of each structural component of sexual identity and the identification of relationships between them.

Consequently, there is a problem of the need to resolve the contradiction between the objective need to contribute to the formation and development of a constructive sexual identity of adolescents and the lack of systematic knowledge about the structure of the sexual identity of adolescent girls and boys.

In connection with the above, it seems significant to study the content characteristics of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of the sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence and to identify the relationship between these structural components, which was the purpose of this study.

The subject of the study is the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of the sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence.

Scientific novelty of the research. For the first time, the existence of differences in the content characteristics of the structure of the sexual identity of younger adolescents is theoretically substantiated and empirically proven.

Research methodology: L.S. Vygotsky's cultural and historical theory of human mental development, D.B. Elkonin's age periodization, conceptual positions and main provisions in the study of sexual problems of domestic and foreign psychologists V.E. Kagan, I.S. Kletsina, N.Y. Flotskaya, etc.

Research hypothesis: there are probably quantitative and qualitative differences in the content characteristics of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of the sexual identity of boys and girls of younger adolescence.

The empirical base of the study is represented by 30 teenage girls and 30 boys from full families.  The age of the participants was 12-13 years.

Research methods:

To identify the features in the content characteristics of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of the sexual identity of boys and girls of younger adolescence, the following methods were used:  

The technique of N.L. Belopolskaya "Gender and age identification" (from 12 years and older). Objective: to study the level of formation of those aspects of self-consciousness that are associated with the sexual and age identity of adolescents and adults.

Questionnaire "I am a woman (man)" by L.N. Ozhigova. Purpose - it is used to diagnose conscious and unconscious gender attitudes of the individual, it also allows you to determine the degree of conformity or inconsistency of the individual with existing gender stereotypes.

The questionnaire "Teenagers about parents" (ADOR) (Best Man, adapted by L. I. Wasserman, I. A. Gorkova, E. E. Romitsina), which allows you to evaluate relationships with parents of both sexes by such manifestations as benevolence; hostility; autonomy; directivity; inconsistency of the parent.

The questionnaire "Who am I?", used to identify attitudes to the meaningful characteristics of the personality in the structure of the Self-concept.

The technique of "Gender role questionnaire" (S. Bem). Purpose - it is used to diagnose psychological gender and determines the degree of androgyny, masculinity and femininity of the personality, allows you to determine the type of personality: masculine, feminine, androgynous.

Methods of mathematical and statistical data processing: one-factor analysis of variance ANOVA for repeated measurements, factor analysis by the method of principal components with Varimax rotation, Spearman correlation analysis.

The cognitive component of the sexual identity of girls of younger adolescence is considered through the correspondence of the personality to gender stereotypes and identification with the gender and age image.

The correspondence of personality to the gender stereotype in girls of younger adolescence was studied using the questionnaire "I am a woman (man) by L.N. Ozhigova.

Based on the methodology proposed by L.N. Ozhigova, 3 groups of subjects were identified:

- corresponding to the gender stereotype;

- poorly aware or displacing their own gender characteristics;

- does not correspond to the gender stereotype.

Figure 1 shows the distribution of the sample according to the parameter compliance with gender stereotypes of girls of younger adolescence. 60% of teenage girls correspond to gender stereotypes, 34% are poorly aware of gender stereotypes, 6% of teenage girls do not correspond to a gender stereotype.

Figure 1. Compliance with gender stereotypes of young adolescent girls

Identification of oneself with a generalized sexual and gender-and-age image, the definition of one's past and future gender-and-age roles, the images of I am real, I am attractive and I am unattractive were studied using the technique of "Gender-and-Age identification" by N.L. Belopolskaya. The results of the study showed that girls of younger adolescence, in most cases, did not make mistakes when identifying their real gender and age status. All the examined teenage girls were able to correctly construct the sequence of identification: infant - preschooler – schoolboy, etc.

The overwhelming majority of teenage girls (70%) chose the image of the future as an attractive image (in most cases, the next age role or the role of a young woman), noting at the same time that this image seems desirable, beautiful, attractive, feminine.

 Some girls (30%) chose the image of a younger child as attractive, arguing that they love children, small children are cute and everyone likes them.

As an unattractive image of Me, 95% of girls of younger adolescence choose the image of old age, noting that this image causes feelings of sadness, gloom, fear.

ANOVA univariate analysis of variance was used to identify significant differences between the parameters of self-identification, attractive and unattractive self-image in girls of younger adolescence with different levels of compliance with gender stereotypes.

As a result, differences were obtained at the trend level in the indicators "Self-identification" (F = 2.67 at p?0.08), "Attractive self-image" (F = 2.53 at p?0.09) (see Figures 2, 3).

Figure 2. Comparative analysis of the value of the indicator of self-identification of girls of younger adolescence

The analysis of Figure 2 showed that the highest values for the self-identification parameter were obtained in adolescent girls corresponding to gender stereotypes. Adolescent girls who conform to gender stereotypes feel older in age than girls who do not conform to gender stereotypes.

Choosing an attractive image-I, teenage girls who correspond to gender stereotypes, choose an image older in age than girls who do not correspond to gender stereotypes. In an individual conversation, they say that they want to be older in order to make decisions independently, to be independent and independent (see Figure 3).

Figure 3. Comparative analysis of the value of the indicator attractive self-image in teenage girls

Girls who do not correspond to gender stereotypes choose the image of a schoolgirl as an attractive image, and teenage girls who correspond to gender stereotypes choose the image of a young girl.

The emotional component of sexual identity is defined through the emotional attitude to their sexual identity and the perception of parental attitude by adolescents.

The questionnaire "Who am I?", developed by M. Kuhn and T. McPartland, was used to identify the role of gender characteristics in the structure of the Self-concept of personality.

The questionnaire "Teenagers about Parents" by Schafer, adapted by L.I. Wasserman, I. A. Gorkova, E. E. Romitsina, is used to study the attitudes, behavior and methods of parenting parents as their children see them in adolescence. The questionnaire allows you to determine the emotional attitude of adolescents to the educational strategies of parents by criteria such as benevolence, hostility, autonomy, directivity, inconsistency.

In order to construct a factor model of the emotional component of sexual identity, a factor analysis performed by the principal component method using Varimax rotation was used. As a result of factor analysis, 4 factors were identified that explain 61.14% of the cumulative variance (see tab. 1.).

Table 1. Factor model of the emotional component of the sexual identity of young adolescent girls

The first factor "Aggressive and inconsistent attitude of parents", the factor load of which was 27.25%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Father directive" (0.81), "Father inconsistency" (0.81), "Mother directive" (0.80), "Mother inconsistency" (0.75), "Father's hostility" (0.63) "Masculine characteristics" (0.38). Directive, inconsistency of parents, contradictory requirements are associated with the attitude of a teenage girl to herself through masculine characteristics "I am strong, self-confident, brave, independent, independent, aggressive."

The second factor "Demanding attitude of the mother", the factor load of which was 13.28%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as the reflected scale "Autonomy of the mother" (-0.88), the reflected scale "Positive interest of the mother" (-0.85), the scale "Hostility of the mother" (0.78) This factor characterizes the perception of teenage girls his mother, as demanding, hostile, rejecting.

The third factor "Father's positive attitude", the factor load of which was 11.10%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Father's positive interest" (0.83), "Father's autonomy" (0.78), "Family roles" (0.42). This factor characterizes the perception of warmth and openness in the father-daughter relationship, the acceptance of the daughter by the father, at the same time the father's detachment from family problems. Such an emotionally positive attitude of the father is associated with the girls' perception of themselves and their sexual identity through the family roles of "I am a daughter".

The fourth factor "Perception of oneself through social roles", the factor load of which was 9.51%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Professional roles" (0.79), "Other social roles" (0.87), the reflected scale "Neutral characteristics" (-0.55). This factor characterizes the attitude of a teenage girl to herself through social characteristics associated with social hobbies and hobbies "I am an artist, a ballerina, a singer".

Thus, the emotional component of the sexual identity of girls of younger adolescence is characterized by the perception of parental attitudes, in general, as inconsistent and aggressive. The mother is perceived as demanding, the father as positive, but detached from family problems, the attitude of younger girls to themselves as a representative of a certain sex is formed through social characteristics associated with social hobbies and hobbies.

The behavioral component of sexual identity is determined through the ratio of masculine and feminine personality qualities, manifested in the behavior of a teenager with the help of the "Gender-role questionnaire of S. Bem", modified by I. S. Kletsina (see Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Characteristics of the behavioral component of young adolescent girls

The analysis of Figure 4 shows that 70% of adolescent girls aged 12-13 years are characterized by androgyny in behavior, i.e. a combination of female and male characteristics in behavior. The results obtained indicate the uncertainty of the behavioral component of sexual identity in adolescent girls of younger adolescence.

In order to identify the interrelationships of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of sexual identity in young adolescent girls, Spearman's nonparametric correlation analysis of the factor space of the emotional component of sexual identity and the scale "Compliance with gender stereotypes" of the questionnaire "I am a woman (man)" by L.N. Ozhigova, the scales "Femininity", "Masculinity" of the "Gender Role questionnaire" was applied" S. Boehm, modification of I. S. Kletsina, scales of "Self-identification", "Attractive Self-image", "Unattractive Self-image" of the methodology of "Gender and Age identification" by N.L. Belopolskaya.

Positive correlations of 3 factors were obtained: "Father's positive attitude" with the scales "Femininity" (r=0.36, p?0.01), "Compliance with gender stereotypes" (r=0.29, p?0.04), "Attractive self-image" (r=0.29, p?0.04), "Unattractive self-image" (r=0.29, p?0.04).

Thus, the positive interest of the father, love, attention and care for the daughter, contribute to the development of femininity in girls' behavior, expressed in sensitivity, softness, femininity. And also girls who have a positive father's interest in the cognitive component of sexual identity are characterized by a high degree of compliance with gender stereotypes and lack of difficulties with the formation of an image of an attractive and unattractive Self.

Positive correlations of 4 factors "Perception of oneself through social roles" with the scales "Self-identification" (r=0.36, p?0.01), "Compliance with gender stereotypes" (r=0.47; p?0.01) were obtained, which indicates that girls of younger adolescence form an attitude towards themselves based on social They have a high level of compliance with gender stereotypes and do not have difficulties identifying their own gender and age image.

Let's analyze the structure of the sexual identity of boys of younger adolescence.

The cognitive component of the sexual identity of boys, as well as in adolescent girls, is determined through compliance with gender stereotypes and self-identification with a gender and age image.

Figure 5 shows the distribution of the sample according to the parameter compliance with gender stereotypes of boys of younger adolescence (see Figure 5).

Figure 5. Compliance with gender stereotypes of young adolescent boys

38% of adolescent boys correspond to gender stereotypes, 56% are poorly aware of gender stereotypes, 6% of adolescent boys do not correspond to gender stereotypes.

The identification of oneself with a generalized sexual and gender-age image, the definition of one's past and future gender and age roles, the images of I am real, I am attractive and I am unattractive were studied using the technique of "Gender and Age identification" by N.L. Belopolskaya.

The results were obtained that boys of younger adolescence, as well as teenage girls, do not make mistakes when identifying their real gender and age status.

All the examined boys make up a complete identification sequence, were adequately identified with gender and age. 

60% of teenage boys chose the image of the future as an attractive image (in most cases, the next age role), noting at the same time that they want to be independent, independent and adults. 

40% of the surveyed adolescent boys choose an image of a boy corresponding to their age (the image of the present) as an attractive image, noting that this image is similar to themselves.

97% of teenage boys choose the image of old age as an unattractive image of Me, noting that they do not want to grow old, get sick, and want to live longer.

ANOVA univariate analysis of variance was used to identify significant differences in the cognitive component of sexual identity between groups with varying degrees of compliance with gender stereotypes in boys of younger adolescence.

As a result, significant differences in the indicator "Masculinity" (F = 4.05 at p ?0.04) were obtained (see Fig.6).

Figure 6. Comparative analysis of the value of masculinity in adolescent boys

The analysis of Figure 6 showed that the highest values for the parameter of masculinity in behavior were obtained in boys of younger adolescence, corresponding to gender stereotypes. Boys who conform to gender stereotypes characterize themselves as strong, confident, brave and persistent.

The emotional component of the sexual identity of young adolescent boys.

In order to construct a factor model of the emotional component of the sexual identity of adolescent boys, a factor analysis performed by the principal component method using Varimax rotation was used. As a result of factor analysis, 4 factors were identified that explain 73.99% of the cumulative variance (see tab. 2.).

Table 2. Factor model of the emotional component of the sexual identity of young adolescent boys

The first factor "Inconsistency of parents", the factor load of which was 29.41%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Inconsistency of the mother" (0.89) "Inconsistency of the father" (0.87) "Directive of the father" (0.72), "Masculine characteristics" (0.62), "Family roles" (0.60), "Father's hostility" (0.58), "Mother's directive" (0.43). This factor characterizes the perception of teenage boys of their parents as inconsistent in educational influences, unstable in opinions and judgments, the father as hostile and aggressive, the mother as strict and demanding in relationships.  This perception of parents is simultaneously connected with the perception of themselves as a strong, independent, determined son.

The second factor "Positive interest of the mother", the factor load of which was 20.58%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Positive interest of the mother" (0.91), "Autonomy of the father" (0.78), the scale "Autonomy of the mother" (0.73), the reflected scale "Hostility of the mother" (-0.68). This factor characterizes the perception of teenage boys of their mother as accepting, attentive, but detached from family problems.

The third factor "Uncertain gender characteristics", the factor load of which was 13.64%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Feminine characteristics" (0.87), "Neutral characteristics" (0.85), "Professional roles" (0.57).  This factor characterizes the perception of teenage boys of themselves through neutral and feminine characteristics, as kind, sweet, caring.

The fourth factor "Self-identification through social roles", the factor load of which was 10.36%, with the highest factor weight included such scales as "Other social roles" (0.83), "Father's positive interest" (0.66), "Professional roles" (0.66). This factor characterizes the attitude of teenage boys to themselves through the social requirements of society that are not related to sexual identity, and the relationship with the father as based on trust.

Thus, the emotional component of the sexual identity of boys of younger adolescence is characterized by the perception of parental attitudes, in general, as inconsistent and unstable. Mother and father are perceived as positive, but detached from family problems, younger boys form an attitude towards themselves as a representative of a certain sex through social characteristics associated with social hobbies and professional roles. Inconsistency and detachment of parents form masculine traits in boys' behavior: strong, independent, courageous.

The behavioral component of the sexual identity of young adolescent boys (see Fig. 7).

Figure 7. Characteristics of the behavioral component of young adolescent boys

The analysis of Figure 7 showed that 94% of adolescent boys are characterized by androgyny, i.e. a combination of female and male characteristics in behavior. The results obtained indicate the uncertainty, undifferentiation of the behavioral component of sexual identity in adolescent boys.

In order to identify the interrelationships of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of sexual identity in young adolescent boys, Spearman's nonparametric correlation analysis of the factor space of the emotional component of sexual identity and the scale "Compliance with gender stereotypes" of the questionnaire "I am a woman (man)" by L.N. Ozhigova, the scales "Femininity", "Masculinity" of the "Gender Role questionnaire" was applied" S. Boehm, modification of I. S. Kletsina, scales of "Self-identification", "Attractive Self-image", "Unattractive Self-image" of the methodology of "Gender and Age identification" by N.L. Belopolskaya.

A negative correlation of factor 1 "Inconsistency of parents" with the scale "Unattractive self image" was obtained (r=-0.52, p?0.04).

Thus, the perception of parental influence as inconsistent and unstable is associated with the choice of adolescent boys of an unattractive Self image in the image of a younger one. They describe themselves as strong, courageous, courageous, persistent.

A positive correlation of the 2 factor "Positive interest of the mother" with the scale "Masculinity" (r=0.58, p?0.02) was obtained. Positive interest and attention from the moans of the mother is associated with the development of masculine qualities in behavior in adolescent boys.

A negative correlation of 3 factors "Uncertain gender characteristics" with the scale "Compliance with gender stereotypes" was obtained (r=-0.55, p?0.03).

The characterization of adolescent boys themselves through vague gender characteristics at the emotional level creates difficulties in matching gender stereotypes of adolescent boys at the cognitive level.

Discussion

Let's analyze the differences in the structure of the sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence.

The cognitive component of sexual identity in girls and boys of younger adolescence is characterized by the following features.

Adolescents of both sexes do not have difficulties with building a sex-and-age sequence and identifying their present sex-and-age status, adequately identify themselves according to gender and age. As an attractive image of Me, girls and boys of younger adolescence often choose the image of the future (a young boy or girl), saying that they want to be adults, independent and independent.

Teenage girls are more likely (60%) than boys (38%) to conform to gender stereotypes. Moreover, girls who correspond to gender stereotypes present themselves as older, more feminine and sensitive.

Adolescent girls who conform to gender stereotypes feel older in age than girls who do not conform to gender stereotypes.

Boys who correspond to gender stereotypes characterize themselves through masculine signs, strong, confident, persistent in behavior.

The emotional component of sexual identity in girls and boys of younger adolescence is characterized by the following features. Girls and boys are characterized by the perception of parental influence as inconsistent, unstable and, in general, incomprehensible to a teenager.

For teenage girls, the father is a significant figure for the formation of an attitude towards himself as a representative of a certain sex. The positive attention and interest of the father to the daughter contribute to the development of femininity in girls' behavior, expressed in sensitivity, softness, femininity in behavior and a high degree of compliance with gender stereotypes in thinking.

For boys, a significant factor in the development of sexual identity is the positive attitude of the mother. And the instability, inconsistency, uncertainty of the educational influences of parents of both sexes contributes to the formation of masculine traits in boys' behavior.

The behavioral component of the sexual identity of younger adolescents of both sexes is characterized by uncertainty, undifferentiation, and a combination of both feminine and masculine qualities in behavior.

Thus, from the results of the study, it is possible to see differences in qualitative and quantitative indicators that determine the structure of the sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence. The relationship with the parent of the opposite sex is an important condition for the formation of the emotional component of sexual identity, defining the features of femininity and masculinity in the behavior of a teenager.

Conclusion

In the course of this study, it was possible to identify meaningful characteristics of the cognitive, emotional and behavioral components of the sexual identity of girls and boys of younger adolescence. Correlations between components of sexual identity are revealed.

The obtained results allowed us to draw conclusions about the importance of an emotional relationship with a parent of the opposite sex for the formation of the sexual identity of younger adolescents.

The results of the study can be useful to educational psychologists in individual psychological counseling of adolescents and their parents on the formation of sexual identity.