Which of the following statements accurately reflects research findings about how parents treat their sons and daughters?

• A. Parents consistently provide equal emotional support to both sons and daughters in all cultures.
• B. Parents are more likely to use physical discipline with daughters than with sons.
• C. Parents typically have higher academic expectations for daughters than for sons.
• D. Parents often encourage independence more in sons than in daughters.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the context of the question: it asks about research findings on parental treatment differences between sons and daughters.
2. Recall psychological and developmental research that examines parental behaviors and expectations based on child gender.
3. Evaluate each statement by comparing it to established research findings: for example, consider whether emotional support is equal across genders, or if physical discipline is more common with one gender.
4. Focus on the statement about encouraging independence, as research often shows parents encourage more independence in sons than daughters, reflecting gender socialization patterns.
5. Conclude that the statement 'Parents often encourage independence more in sons than in daughters' aligns with research findings, while the other statements do not accurately reflect typical parental behaviors across cultures.