Are Scientists Smart? Kindergarteners’ Gendered Understanding and Use of Descriptors About Science and Intelligence

Abstract

Do kindergarten-aged children associate scientists with intelligence? Do they hold gender stereotypes about these topics? What is related to these stereotypes? Do they affect children’s choice of activity? This study asked 48 kindergarteners to choose “the smart one” or “the scientist” out of gender-balanced arrays. Both genders showed positive in-group biases, but girls did not relate the two concepts. Girls were also more willing to engage in activities for “smart” children, rather than for “little scientists.” Parental occupation had same-gender effects on each gender’s stereotypes about intelligence, but no cross-gender effects. Findings are analyzed using expectancy-value theory as a framework.