Sex‐stereotyped attitudes about science: can they be changed?

Abstract

This paper describes and discusses some attitudes about science held by a group of ten-yearold children in Western Australia. It reports the results of two questionnaires administered to the children before and after their teachers participated in an in-service programme, one of the aims of which was to reduce sex stereotyping of science. It is found that the children's attitudes about science became less sex-stereotyped. The findings emphasize the importance of the influence of teachers' science-related attitudes and behaviour on those of their students and the possibility of changing students' attitudes through appropriate in-service training of their teachers.

Draw‐A‐Scientist Test: Future Implications

“…Although societal sex-role stereotyping of appropriate behaviors and careers is pervasive, recent studies suggest that science teachers and appropriate classroom environments may have an ameliorating effect (Kahle, 1988;Parker & Rennie, 1986;Talton & Simpson, 1986). According to Shibeci and Riley (1986), what teachers do in the classroom affects student attitudes and achievement levels.…”

An analysis of the role of peers in supporting female students’ choices in science subjects

“…However, analysis of the literature suggests that achievement can be affected by a range of factors including motivation, attitude, interest, confidence, classroom environments, types of schools (single-sex and coeducational), and social stereotypes (Jones & Wheatley, 1990;Kahle, 1987;Klein, 1985;Parker & Rennie, 1986;~Young, 1991;Young & Fraser, 1994). Within the personal realm, confidence and self esteem are two obscure factors likely to affect subject selection in science.…”

The most difficult career: Women's history in science

“…For some years, educational research has been increasingly preoccupied with problems faced by female pupils in approaching scientific subjects (Bentley and Watts 1986, Parker and Rennie 1986, Pennick and Yager 1986, Hacker 1986). This increasing focus carries with it, whatever internal disagreements there may be about the role of gender conditioning, or the importance of male or female teachers as role models in the science class, a shared pre-supposition that the relationship between science and femininity is problematic.…”