Paternal Involvement and the Development of Gender Expectations in Sons and Daughters

Abstract

Data from the National Survey of Children (Waves 1 and 3), a longitudinal survey of 2,000 children who were between the ages of 7 and 11 during the first wave in 1976 and between the ages of 16 and 20 during the third wave in 1987, were analyzed to examine the impact of paternal involvement during childhood as well as the ongoing father-child relationship on sons' and daughters' gender role orientations and attitudes in young adulthood. The results indicated that, compared to females, males placed more importance on success at work and less importance on being a parent. Females, compared to males, were less likely to believe in traditional roles and more likely to believe that couples should share housework. While there were significant gender differences in role orientations and attitudes, there were no significant differences by father presence. Whether or not a father was present at time 1 and whether or not that presence changed over time had no significant relationship to the development of gender role orientations and attitudes. This finding supports the contention that research on the development of gender may need to pay less attention to father presence and focus more on the effects of the nature of fathering. Data analyses indicated that the ongoing father-child relationship was more important than paternal involvement in childhood and that the effects were greater for sons than for daughters. (NB)

What Factors Affect Attitudes Toward Women in Science Held by High School Biology Students?

“…Erb and Smith (1986) and Moffat (1992) found that gender differences in attitudes toward science exist in our educational process. The consequences in attitudes toward science can be observed in differential course enrollment (Hardesty, 1992; Harpole, 1987; Tippins, 1991), lower female science achievement scores (McNeil & Butts, 1981) and fewer females in science‐related careers (Kahle, 1984; Moffat, 1992). Females are not receiving the same science education and experiences as males (Baker, 1988; Kahle, 1984; Rosser, 1988).…”

“…Females are not receiving the same science education and experiences as males (Baker, 1988; Kahle, 1984; Rosser, 1988). Fewer female students than males are choosing to take elective science classes (Hardesty, 1992; Harpole, 1987; Tippins, 1991). This lack of preparation in science may contribute to the relative exclusion of women from scientific fields and can affect our national economy.…”