Gender-specific macro- and micro-level processes in the transmission of gender role orientation in adolescence: The role of fathers

Parents' math–gender stereotypes, children's self-perception of ability, and children's appraisal of parents' evaluations in 6-year-olds

“…However, apparently different from the present results, recent evidence also suggests that fathers' (but not mothers') automatic associations consistent with gender stereotypes about math and language uniquely predict children's math-gender stereotypes both at the implicit and the explicit level (Galdi et al, 2015). Consistent with the hypothesis about differential effects of parents on the psychological development of children (e.g., Chen, Liu, & Li, 2000;O'Brian et al, 2004;Hess, Ittel, & Sisler, 2014), we argue that these inconsistencies may reflect actual differences in the paths of influence for each parent's math-gender stereotypes. Namely, whereas fathers' math-gender stereotypes may be specifically relevant to children's acquisition of gender-role norms and corresponding stereotypes (e.g., Fishbein, 2002;Galdi et al, 2015), mothers' math-gender stereotypes may be more involved in the development of children's self-perception and task-related academic beliefs, as suggested by the present work.…”

Reading is for girls!? The negative impact of preschool teachers' traditional gender role attitudes on boys' reading related motivation and skills

“…As expected, particularly mothers with traditional gender role attitudes were inclined to respond with negative emotions in response to children's gender incongruent behaviors (i.e., shyness in boys, aggressiveness in girls). Further support for our assumption that preschool teachers with traditional gender role attitudes treat children in a more gender stereotyping manner than teachers with egalitarian beliefs comes from the study by Hess et al (2014) which, however, investigated a sample of older children. The authors did not only find fathers' gender role attitudes (measured when the child was about 14 years old) to directly impact the child's gender role beliefs 5 years later, but also indirectly via parenting practices (as reported by the child) which were the more gender typed the more traditional fathers' gender role attitudes had been.…”

“…to favor girls and, when measured at the beginning of grade 5, to predict boys' more negative reading self-concept at the end of grade 6 (controlling for previous self-concept and reading attainments). Other research has shown that gender related attitudes and stereotypes are transmitted across generations within families (e.g., Carlson, 2011; Endendijk, 2013; Farré and Vella, 2013; Hess et al, 2014). For instance, investigating 244 German families, Hess et al (2014) found that the more traditional fathers' gender role attitudes were, the more traditional were the attitudes of their sons and daughters 5 years later.…”

"Daughter and son: a completely different story”? Gender as a moderator of the relationship between sexism and parental attitudes

“…Poland is a country where the "chivalrous" treatment of women has a very long tradition: it is still almost universal to let women through doors first, to free seats for them on public transport and, in some circles, to kiss the back of a woman's hand in greeting. The present results indicate that such behaviours are universally accepted both by Polish women and men, which gains particular importance in the context of parental behaviours being the central factor influencing how children acquire traditional versus more liberal gender roles (Montañés et al, 2012;Hess, Ittel, & Sisler, 2014).…”

“…Taking into account the children's age (five), the gravity of this observation increases. While in adolescence, parents of the same sex are the main models for gender roles in children (Montañés et al, 2012;Hess, Ittel, & Sisler, 2014), in childhood it is the mother who is the main caregiver to a child, and her opinions serve as the basis for developing patterns of appropriate behaviours. Our results can be treated as an empirical indication of widespread differential treatment of small children depending on gender.…”