What age group is most likely to exhibit gender labeling?

Young children are most likely to exhibit gender labeling, typically around the ages of 2 to 6 years. This is a critical developmental stage where children begin to identify themselves and others as boys or girls based on societal cues and learned behaviors. This early awareness is a part of their cognitive development, where they start to categorize and understand the world around them, including the concept of gender.

During this age, children often use gender labels to describe themselves and others, often influenced by their surroundings, including family, peers, and media. They begin to make associations between gender and certain traits or roles, reinforcing their understanding of gender identity. This developmental milestone can have a significant impact on how they view themselves and their environment as they continue to grow.

In contrast, infants do not have the cognitive capacity to understand or label gender. Teenagers and adolescents may challenge or explore gender roles and identities, but they are typically past the stage of basic gender labeling. Therefore, the answer identifying young children as the group most likely to exhibit gender labeling aligns well with child development theories and observations.