Homosociality
Depending on the culture, and family and social stuctures, same-sex preferences have been found to  develop between 3 and 9 years old. (LaFreniere, Strayer,& Gauthier, 1984; Jacklin& Maccoby, 1978; Harkness & Super, 1985) LaFreniere, Strayer, and Gauthier (1984) conducted a three year long study observing fifteen peer groups between the ages of 1 to 6 years old, with 98 boys and 93 girls.  As they looked into sex-segregation in childhood, the researchers found that segregation rose with age and that most Western children exihibit these preferences around 3–4 years old. However, in a study by Harkenss and Super, Kenyan children do not have sex-preference in playmates until the ages of 6 to 9 years old. Researchers observed 152 Kenyan children in rural settings and found that this change didn’t occur until parental expectations and customary duties increased.  “Just when and how such gender segration appears, is the joint product of the individual and the culturally constructed niche” (Harkness & Super, 1985).