Gender Stereotypes in a Children's Television Program: Effects on Girls' and Boys' Stereotype Endorsement, Math Performance, Motivational Dispositions, and Attitudes

Abstract

Television programs are a central part of children's everyday lives. These programs often transmit stereotypes about gender roles such as “math is for boys and not for girls.” So far, however, it is unclear whether stereotypes that are embedded in television programs affect girls' and boys' performance, motivational dispositions, or attitudes. On the basis of research on expectancy-value theory and stereotype threat, we conducted a randomized study with a total of 335 fifth-grade students to address this question. As the experimental material, we used a television program that had originally been produced for a national TV channel. The program was designed to show children that math could be interesting and fun. In the experimental condition, the program included a gender stereotyped segment in which two girls who were frustrated with math copied their math homework from a male classmate. In the control condition, participants watched an equally long, neutral summary of the first part of the video. We investigated effects on boys' and girls' stereotype endorsement, math performance, and different motivational constructs to gain insights into differential effects. On the basis of prior research, we expected negative effects of watching the stereotypes on girls' performance, motivational dispositions, and attitudes. Effects on the same outcomes for boys as well as children's stereotype endorsement were explored as open questions. We pre-registered our research predictions and analyses before conducting the experiment. Our results provide partial support for short-term effects of gender stereotypes embedded in television programs: Watching the stereotypes embedded in the video increased boys' and girls' stereotype endorsement. Boys reported a higher sense of belonging but lower utility value after watching the video with the stereotypes. Boys' other outcome variables were not affected, and there were also no effects on girl's performance, motivational dispositions, or attitudes. Results offer initial insights into how even short segments involving gender stereotypes in television shows can influence girls' and boys' stereotype endorsement and how such stereotypes may constitute one factor that contributes to gender differences in the STEM fields.

Pipped at the Post: Knowledge Gaps and Expected Low Parental IT Competence Ratings Affect Young Women’s Awakening Interest in Professional Careers in Information Science

“…Both items, here slightly reworded and turned positive, are based on the Self-appraised math ability scale Schmader et al (2004) used with good results. For both dimensions of computer affinity and math competence, longer scales exist that were not used here for reasons of survey economy (see Meelissen and Drent, 2008; Heerwegh et al, 2016; Wille et al, 2018). The three questions on computer literacy and the three questions on Internet literacy were newly developed based on items found in the “ICT Familiarity Questionnaire” [see PISA, (OECD, 2015)].…”

Socialization of Gender Stereotypes Related to Attributes and Professions Among Young Spanish School-Aged Children

“…In addition, within learning environments, there are also a number of important influences that are not so direct which have to do with the presentation of gender roles and sexist stereotypes in the media, children's literature or toys (Wille et al, 2018). In recent years, we have also found a powerful environmental influence regarding the information that children and young people absorb from an early age through social networks and the Internet (Murnen et al, 2016).…”

Adolescents Voice Preference in Auditory Advertisements

“…A corollary conclusion can be drawn regarding the declining popularity of mainstream media and the decrease in stereotypical gender roles amongst teenagers. A study conducted by the accredited German University of Tubingen presented young children with television advertisements that showed gender stereotype conditions, such as young girls struggling with math, and when showed these advertisements young girls were reported to show more interest in stereotypical female careers than the group of young girls that were shown a counter-stereotype advertisement such as girls excelling in math (Wille et al, 2018). While this study does show the damaging influence of gender stereotypical advertisements, these advertisements were in a traditional television format which is no longer a manner in which most children and teenagers consume media.…”

“…The stigma surrounding these classes not only led to decreased male participation in this study, but, more importantly, discourages girls and boys to expand their academic interest into these fields of study. The same study cited from the University of Tubingen explains that bias held in classrooms often negatively impacts girls' performance in math, and due to this, girls are dissuaded from continuing studies in these fields (Wille et. al, 2018).…”