THE flute, piano and violin are girls鈥� instruments. Drums, trumpets and
guitars are for boys. According to two psychologists from the University of
Keele, children have very clear ideas about which musical instruments they
should play鈥攁nd which will bring hoots of derision.
Despite the best efforts of teachers, these ideas have changed very little
over the past decade, say Susan O鈥橬eill and Michael Boulton. O鈥橬eill and Boulton
interviewed 153 children aged between 9 and 11 from schools in northwest
England. They asked them to identify six musical instruments and then to say
which they would like to play most, and which they would least like to play.
They also asked the children for their views on whether boys or girls should
not play any of the six instruments.
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The flute, piano and violin were all ranked more favourably by girls than by
boys, while boys preferred the drums, trumpet and guitar. There was broad
agreement between boys and girls on which instruments each sex should play, and
the reasons varied from 鈥渂oys don鈥檛 like the sound鈥� to 鈥渋t鈥檚 an instrument for
girls鈥�, the researchers report in an issue of the Psychology of Music
to be published later this year. And while almost half of all boys said they
steered clear of certain instruments because they were too difficult to play,
only 15 per cent of girls gave that as a reason.
Earlier studies indicated that very young schoolchildren, aged between 5 and
7, showed no bias in choosing musical instruments. But their tastes become more
defined between the ages of 8 and 10. One survey of 78 teachers suggested that
after that age both boys and girls begin to restrict themselves to 鈥渕ale鈥� or
鈥渇emale鈥� instruments.
In a follow-up study, O鈥橬eill and Boulton examine what children feel will
happen if they play the wrong instrument. 鈥淐hildren clearly expect social
consequences for playing certain instruments,鈥� says Boulton. This includes being
frowned upon as a music 鈥済eek鈥�, or even bullying. Boys who play the flute and
girls who opt for the drums are considered the most 鈥渦ncool鈥� by classmates. When
O鈥橬eill spoke to the friends of one boy flautist, they assured her that he was
鈥渢rying to quit鈥�.