The Impact of Gender-Fair versus Gender-Stereotyped Basal Readers on 1st-Grade Children's Gender Stereotypes: A Natural Experiment

Invisible or Involved Fathers? A Content Analysis of Representations of Parenting in Young Children’s Picturebooks in the UK

“…It follows that exposure to gender stereotypes at this age is particularly vital in the socialisation of children into gender roles and the maintenance and confirmation of many aspects of gendered identities across the lifespan (Bradbard et al 1986;Peterson and Lach 1990;Tepper and Cassidy 1999;Turner and Gervai 1995;Zemore et al 2000). Consequently media representations of male and female characters may well 'have serious effects on these children's gender role development and self-image' (Hamilton et al 2006, p. 758), an assertion substantiated by a wealth of research (Blake and Maiese 2008;Bradbard et al 1986;Frawley 2008;Karniol and Gal-Disegni 2009;Peterson and Lach 1990;Tepper and Cassidy 1999;Turner and Gervai 1995;Zemore et al 2000). A further rationale for a predominant emphasis on picturebooks reflects the attentional capacities of the pre-school child reader; as discovered by recent evidence from eye movement monitoring studies.…”

“…The study of gender stereotypes in children's media is important because exposure to traditional gender stereotypes has been found to impact negatively on boys' and girls' development, narrowing the range of acceptable behaviours and naturalizing inequalities (Karniol and Gal-Disegni 2009;Witt 2000). Despite the global growth and diversity of media aimed at children there remains a strong rationale for researchers interested in gender stereotyping to focus on young children's picturebooks.…”

Do storybooks really break children's gender stereotypes?

“…In other research, 4–6-year-olds, upon reading and participating in teacher-mediated activities related to gender- atypical stories where characters were involved in atypical gender activities, situations, and occupations, rated more stereotypical occupations and activities as appropriate for both males and females (Trepanier-Street and Romatowski, 1999). Similarly, recent work by Karniol and Gal-Disegni (2009) found that first graders assigned gender-fair basal readers (i.e., textbooks used to teach reading) for the school year judged more activities (e.g., playing in mud, baking a cake) as appropriate for both males and females than those children assigned gender-stereotyped basal readers. These studies suggest that exposure to gender- atypical storybooks and readers challenge children's stereotypes about gender-appropriate occupations and activities.…”

“…For instance, when asked about their interest in 37 occupations, elementary school boys expressed more interest in culturally masculine jobs (e.g., professor, mechanic) than feminine jobs (e.g., gymnast, teacher), while the opposite was true for girls (Liben et al, 2001). However, children's exposure to storybooks with female protagonists in atypical gender roles (i.e., activities; occupations) is linked to an increase in the number of occupations children believe are appropriate for women (Scott and Feldman-Summers, 1979; Trepanier-Street and Romatowski, 1999; Karniol and Gal-Disegni, 2009). For example, 3rd- and 4th-grade children who read stories in which female protagonists were engaged in gender- atypical activities (e.g., story about a female explorer) were more likely to report that girls could engage in the gender- atypical activities portrayed in the stories (Scott and Feldman-Summers, 1979).…”

Gender representation in Filipino storybooks for children

“…Effects on children's perceptions in relation to stereotypes have likewise been noted by Karniol and Gal-Disegni (2008) among Israeli first graders. It was seen that those exposed to gender-fair texts judged stereotypically-female activities as appropriate to both genders more than those exposed to genderstereotypical books.…”