Abstract
Gender stereotypes influence UK school children's educational choices, shaping their academic and career paths. There is also recent evidence that subject choices may be affected by students' perceptions of whether more boys or girls are likely to select subjects (i.e., whether they would be in a gender minority or majority if they joined the class). This study comprehensively analyses the impact of gender stereotypes and peer majority biases on the academic subject choices of Scottish adolescents, illustrating the profound influence these factors exert on shaping educational and career paths in the UK.
The study was conducted with participants aged 13 – 18 (N = 361) from a Scottish secondary school. These participants completed a newly developed Curriculum Stereotype scale to assess adolescents' acceptance of knowledge and endorsement of gender stereotypes across 22 common academic subjects. In addition, participants were asked to report their actual subject choices, and these were coded as either own-gender or other-gender stereotypical. This approach to measuring perceived stereotypes and real choices provides a robust framework for understanding how gender biases happen in educational settings.
Furthermore, in an experimental paradigm, participants rated their interest in eight novel educational projects that were either stereotypically male or female. Crucially, the gender ratio of the previous cohort was systematically manipulated to indicate a majority of male or female participants. This methodological approach provided a more nuanced exploration of how peer dynamics interact with gender stereotypes in academic decision-making, offering insights into how perceived gender majorities can influence adolescents' preferences and choices.
Results showed that participants had knowledge of gender stereotypes associated with 21 common academic subjects. However, there was a lower endorsement of gender stereotypes F (1,359) = 47.2, p < .001; = .12, particularly among the girls, indicating gender differences in gender stereotype rejection.
In the experiment, both genders tended to show a significant preference for educational projects that were stereotypical for their gender (M = 70.1) versus those typical of the opposite gender (M = 57.7; p < .001, η= 0.11). Projects with an own gender majority cohort were also rated more favourably (M = 66.8) than those with an opposite gender majority cohort (M = 61.0; p = .003, η= 0.02). However, gender differences were found in real-world subject choices: males tended to select significantly more subjects stereotypically aligned with their gender (M = 0.669, 95% CI [0.031,1.307] compared to their female counterparts (M = 0.571 95% CI [0.031, 1.111]; (t (312) = -3.819, p <.001.
The study highlights the own-gender peer influences and gender stereotypes in educational contexts. The findings illustrate the enduring presence of gender stereotypes and their potential to bias students' interests and choices. Understanding these influential factors is pivotal for educators and policymakers in developing strategies and interventions to counter these biases and provide a more gender-equitable education system.
References
*Cunningham, S., Hutchison, J., Ellis, N., Hezelyova, I., & Wood, L. (2023). The cost of social influence: Own-gender and gender-stereotype social learning biases in adolescents and adults.https://10.31234/osf.io/t3de6
*Kessels, U. (2005). Fitting into the Stereotype: How Gender-Stereotyped Perceptions of Prototypic Peers Relate to Liking for School Subjects. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 20(4), 309. https://10.1007/BF03173559
*Kornienko, O., Santos, C. E., Martin, C. L., & Granger, K. L. (2016). Peer Influence on Gender Identity Development in Adolescence. Developmental Psychology; Dev Psychol, 52(10), 1578-1592. https://10.1037/dev0000200
*Kurtz-Costes, B., Copping, K. E., Rowley, S. J., & Kinlaw, C. R. (2014). Gender and age differences in awareness and endorsement of gender stereotypes about academic abilities. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 29(4), 603-618. https://10.1007/s10212-014-0216-7
*Wood, L. A., Hutchison, J., Aitken, M., & Cunningham, S. J. (2022). Gender stereotypes in UK children and adolescents: Changing patterns of knowledge and endorsement. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(3), 768-789. https://10.1111/bjso.12510
The study was conducted with participants aged 13 – 18 (N = 361) from a Scottish secondary school. These participants completed a newly developed Curriculum Stereotype scale to assess adolescents' acceptance of knowledge and endorsement of gender stereotypes across 22 common academic subjects. In addition, participants were asked to report their actual subject choices, and these were coded as either own-gender or other-gender stereotypical. This approach to measuring perceived stereotypes and real choices provides a robust framework for understanding how gender biases happen in educational settings.
Furthermore, in an experimental paradigm, participants rated their interest in eight novel educational projects that were either stereotypically male or female. Crucially, the gender ratio of the previous cohort was systematically manipulated to indicate a majority of male or female participants. This methodological approach provided a more nuanced exploration of how peer dynamics interact with gender stereotypes in academic decision-making, offering insights into how perceived gender majorities can influence adolescents' preferences and choices.
Results showed that participants had knowledge of gender stereotypes associated with 21 common academic subjects. However, there was a lower endorsement of gender stereotypes F (1,359) = 47.2, p < .001; = .12, particularly among the girls, indicating gender differences in gender stereotype rejection.
In the experiment, both genders tended to show a significant preference for educational projects that were stereotypical for their gender (M = 70.1) versus those typical of the opposite gender (M = 57.7; p < .001, η= 0.11). Projects with an own gender majority cohort were also rated more favourably (M = 66.8) than those with an opposite gender majority cohort (M = 61.0; p = .003, η= 0.02). However, gender differences were found in real-world subject choices: males tended to select significantly more subjects stereotypically aligned with their gender (M = 0.669, 95% CI [0.031,1.307] compared to their female counterparts (M = 0.571 95% CI [0.031, 1.111]; (t (312) = -3.819, p <.001.
The study highlights the own-gender peer influences and gender stereotypes in educational contexts. The findings illustrate the enduring presence of gender stereotypes and their potential to bias students' interests and choices. Understanding these influential factors is pivotal for educators and policymakers in developing strategies and interventions to counter these biases and provide a more gender-equitable education system.
References
*Cunningham, S., Hutchison, J., Ellis, N., Hezelyova, I., & Wood, L. (2023). The cost of social influence: Own-gender and gender-stereotype social learning biases in adolescents and adults.https://10.31234/osf.io/t3de6
*Kessels, U. (2005). Fitting into the Stereotype: How Gender-Stereotyped Perceptions of Prototypic Peers Relate to Liking for School Subjects. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 20(4), 309. https://10.1007/BF03173559
*Kornienko, O., Santos, C. E., Martin, C. L., & Granger, K. L. (2016). Peer Influence on Gender Identity Development in Adolescence. Developmental Psychology; Dev Psychol, 52(10), 1578-1592. https://10.1037/dev0000200
*Kurtz-Costes, B., Copping, K. E., Rowley, S. J., & Kinlaw, C. R. (2014). Gender and age differences in awareness and endorsement of gender stereotypes about academic abilities. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 29(4), 603-618. https://10.1007/s10212-014-0216-7
*Wood, L. A., Hutchison, J., Aitken, M., & Cunningham, S. J. (2022). Gender stereotypes in UK children and adolescents: Changing patterns of knowledge and endorsement. British Journal of Social Psychology, 61(3), 768-789. https://10.1111/bjso.12510
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publication status | Published - 9 Sept 2024 |
| Event | British Educational Research Association Conference 2024 and World Educational Research Association Focal Meeting - The University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom Duration: 8 Sept 2024 → 12 Sept 2024 https://www.bera.ac.uk/conference/bera-conference-2024-and-wera-focal-meeting |
Conference
| Conference | British Educational Research Association Conference 2024 and World Educational Research Association Focal Meeting |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | BERA Conference 2024 and WERA Focal Meeting |
| Country/Territory | United Kingdom |
| City | Manchester |
| Period | 8/09/24 → 12/09/24 |
| Internet address |
