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Gender and age differences in awareness and endorsement of gender stereotypes about academic abilities

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Abstract

We measured age and gender differences in children’s awareness and endorsement of gender stereotypes about math, science, and verbal abilities in 463 fourth, sixth, and eighth graders. Children reported their perceptions of adults’ beliefs and their own stereotypes about gender differences in academic abilities. Consistent with study hypotheses, fourth and sixth graders had a stronger tendency than eighth graders to favor their own gender group rather than report traditional stereotypes. On average, girls favored girls over boys in all three domains. Fourth grade boys favored boys in all three domains; middle school boys reported traditional verbal stereotypes and were on average egalitarian in beliefs about math and science. Children’s reports of their perceptions of adults’ stereotypes mirrored age and gender differences in their own stereotypes and were correlated with their own stereotype endorsement. In addition to showing beliefs favoring girls in verbal domains and a tendency for most age and gender groups to not endorse traditional math and science stereotypes, the results support a synthesis of developmental and social identity theories regarding individual differences in children’s stereotype endorsement. Children’s tendency to favor girls in verbal domains may contribute to gender differences in educational and career choices by pulling girls toward the humanities and social sciences and discouraging boys from pursuing those domains.

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Acknowledgments

Data collection for this study was supported by NIMH Grant # P50 MH52429 awarded to Robert Cairns. The writing of this report was supported by Grant # DRL-0819079 from the National Science Foundation awarded to Beth Kurtz-Costes and Stephanie Rowley. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Beth Kurtz-Costes

  2. Huntingdon College, Montgomery, AL, USA

    Kristine E. Copping

  3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Stephanie J. Rowley

  4. Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA

    C. Ryan Kinlaw

Authors
  1. Beth Kurtz-Costes
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  2. Kristine E. Copping
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  3. Stephanie J. Rowley
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  4. C. Ryan Kinlaw
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Beth Kurtz-Costes.

Additional information

Beth Kurtz-Costes. Department of Psychology, University of North Carolina, CB 3270, Chapel Hill, NC 27599–3270 USA, bkcostes@ad.unc.edu, http://www.unc.edu/∼bkcostes/

Current themes of research:

Academic stereotypes. Gender. Race. Achievement motivation.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Copping, K. E., Kurtz-Costes, B., Rowley, S. J., & Wood, D. A. (2013). Age and race differences in racial stereotype endorsement and awareness, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(5), 971–980.

Rouland, K. T., Rowley, S. J., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2013). Self-views of African American youth are related to the gender stereotypes and ability attributions of their mothers. Self and Identity, 12, 382–396.

Evans, A. B., Copping, K. E., Rowley, S. J., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2011). Self-concept in Black adolescents: Do race and gender stereotypes matter? Self and Identity, 10, 263–277.

Kurtz-Costes, B., Rowley, S. J., Harris-Britt, A., & Woods, T. A. (2008). Gender stereotypes about mathematics and science and self-perceptions of ability in late childhood and early adolescence. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 54, 386–409.

Rowley, S. J., Kurtz-Costes, B., Mistry, R., & Feagans, L. (2007). Social status as a predictor of race and gender stereotypes in late childhood and early adolescence. Social Development, 16, 150–168.

Kristine E. Copping. (Institution: Department of Psychology, Huntingdon College), 1500 East Fairview Ave., Montgomery, AL 36106 USA, kcopping@huntingdon.edu, http://www.huntingdon.edu/aboutProfile.aspx?id = 2985

Current themes of research:

Academic stereotypes. Gender. Mathematics motivation.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Copping, K. E., Kurtz-Costes, B., Rowley, S. J., & Wood, D. A. (2013). Age and race differences in racial stereotype endorsement and awareness, Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 43(5), 971–980.

Evans, A. B., Copping, K. E., Rowley, S. J., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2011). Self-concept in Black adolescents: Do race and gender stereotypes matter? Self and Identity, 10, 263–277.

Wood, D. A., Kurtz-Costes, B., & Copping, K. E. (2011). Motivational pathways to college for African American youth: A test of expectancy-value theory. Developmental Psychology, 47, 961–968.

Stephanie J. Rowley. (Institution: Department of Psychology, University of Michigan), 530 Church St.. Ann Arbor, MI 48109–1043 USA, srowley@umich.edu, http://www.soe.umich.edu/people/profile/rowleys_stephanie/

Current themes of research:

Academic stereotypes. Racial socialization. Parenting.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Rouland, K. T., Rowley, S. J., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2013). Self-views of African American youth are related to the gender stereotypes and ability attributions of their mothers. Self and Identity, 12, 382–396.

Matthews, J.S., Kizzie, K.T., Rowley, S.J., & Cortina, K. (2010). African American boys: Understanding the literacy gap predicting academic trajectories and evaluating learning-related skills. Journal of Educational Psychology. 102, (3),757-771.

Evans, A. B., Copping, K. E., Rowley, S. J., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2011). Academic stereotypes in Black and White youth: Do race and gender stereotypes matter? Self and Identity. 10 (2), 263–277.

Kurtz-Costes, B., Rowley, S. J., Harris-Britt, A., & Woods, T. A. (2008). Gender stereotypes about mathematics and science and self-perceptions of ability in late childhood and early adolescence. Merrill Palmer Quarterly, 54, 386–409.

Rowley, S. J., Kurtz-Costes, B., Mistry, R., & Feagans, L. (2007). Social status as a predictor of race and gender stereotypes in late childhood and early adolescence. Social Development, 16, 150–168.

C. Ryan Kinlaw. (Institution: Department of Psychology, Marist College), 3399 North Rd., Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 USA Ryan.Kinlaw@marist.edu, http://www.marist.edu/sbs/facviewer.html?uid = 307

Current themes of research:

Intelligence theory. Technology and education. Achievement motivation.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Kinlaw, C. R., Kurtz-Costes, B., & Goldman-Fraser, J. (2001). Mothers’ achievement beliefs and behaviors and their children’s school readiness: A cultural comparison. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 22, 493–506.

Kinlaw, C. R., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2003). The development of children’s beliefs about intelligence. Developmental Review, 23, 125–161.

Kurtz-Costes, B., McCall, R. J., Kinlaw, C. R., Wiesen, C. A., & Joyner, M. H. (2005). What does it mean to be smart? The development of children’s beliefs about intelligence in Germany and the United States. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26, 217–233.

Kinlaw, C. R., & Kurtz-Costes, B. (2007). Children’s theories of intelligence: Beliefs, goals, and motivation in the elementary years. Journal of General Psychology, 134, 295–311.

Kinlaw, C. R., Dunlap, L. L., & D’Angelo, J. (2012). Relations between faculty use of online academic resources and student class attendance. Computers & Education. 59, 167–172.

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Kurtz-Costes, B., Copping, K.E., Rowley, S.J. et al. Gender and age differences in awareness and endorsement of gender stereotypes about academic abilities. Eur J Psychol Educ 29, 603–618 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0216-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-014-0216-7

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