Gender stereotypes in the mass media perpetuate traditional views of women that may influence children's perceptions of women in science, engineering, and technology. This study used a randomized posttest-only control group design to determine the efficacy of media literacy training on middle school-aged children's perceptions of scientists. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: discussion, discussion plus viewing of television and film clips that featured images of women, or a control. A total of 304 seventh-grade students were asked to complete the Draw-A-Scientist Test and to write down the source of information for their drawings. Across conditions, boys were more likely than girls to draw male scientists, and girls were more likely than boys to draw female scientists. Boys also were more likely to depict other stereotypes of scientists. Media sources were listed as the primary source of information for the drawings.

Popular media have played a crucial role in the construction, representation, reproduction, and transmission of stereotypes of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals, yet little is known about how these stereotypes influence STEM identity formation. Media images of STEM professionals may be important sources of information about STEM and may be particularly salient and relevant for girls during adolescence as they actively consider future personal and professional identities. This article describes gender-stereotyped media images of STEM professionals and examines theories to identify variables that explain the potential influence of these images on STEM identity formation. Understanding these variables is important for expanding current conceptual frameworks of science/STEM identity to better determine how and when cues in the broader sociocultural context may affect adolescent girls’ STEM identity. This article emphasizes the importance of focusing on STEM identity relevant variables and STEM identity status to explain individual differences in STEM identity formation.

This content analysis examined portrayals of scientist characters in 14 television programs popular among or likely to have been viewed by middle school—age children. While male scientists significantly outnumbered and appeared in significantly more scenes than did female scientists, males and females were depicted similarly in reference to professional position, marital status, and parental status. Gender-stereotyped behavior was largely absent in portrayals of scientist characters. Additionally, both male and female scientists were portrayed most often with the wishful identification attribute of intelligence. Implications for middle school—age children’s perceptions of scientists and for cultivating girls’ interest in science careers are discussed.

Several media effects perspectives suggest that televised images can influence children's perceptions of science and scientists. This study analysed images of science and scientists in four children's educational science programmes. The images of science as truth, as fun, and as a part of everyday life, as well as the image that science is for everyone, were quite evident. Little evidence was found for the image of science as magical or mysterious. Support for the images of science as dangerous and science as a solution to problems was mixed. Images of scientists as omniscient and elite were quite prevalent; there was no evidence for the image of scientists as evil or violent. Some support was found for the image of scientists as eccentric and antisocial. Overall, the images were more constructive than detrimental. Predictions about the effect these images could have on children and on the scientific community are given.

Images of female scientists and engineers in popular films convey cultural and social assumptions about the role of women in science, engineering, and technology (SET).This study analyzed cultural representations of gender conveyed through images of female scientists and engineers in popular films from 1991 to 2001. While many of these depictions of female scientists and engineers emphasized their appearance and focused on romance, most depictions also presented female scientists and engineers in professional positions of high status. Other images that showed the female scientists and engineers’ interactions with male colleagues, however, reinforced traditional social and cultural assumptions about the role of women in SET through overt and subtle forms of stereotyping. This article explores the significance of these findings for developing programs to change girls’ perceptions of scientists and engineers and attitudes toward SET careers.