Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

sociology > gender and education > Flashcards

gender and education Flashcards

1
Q

what did Sue Sharpe do

A

interviewed and surveyed working class girls in London in the 1970s and 90s

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

1970’s

A

early gender socialisation means girls attached little importance
to education, priorities were love, marriage and children

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

sue Sharpe is a

A

feminist

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

1990

A

‘gender quake’. Girls’ priorities shifted to
careers, girls were more ambitious, confident and committed to gender
equality.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Sue Sharpe concluded changes between 1970’s and 1990’s can be seen in the context of…

A

legislative changes (Equal Pay Act, Sex Discrimination Act) and the successes of the
feminist movement

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

sue Sharpe evaluation

A

Sharpe recognises there is still a long way to go and women are still
oppressed in society
- there is still a gender pay gap etc
- Therefore, whilst it is a convincing explanation it does not, on its own, explain
why girls outperform boys so clearly and consistently.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Willmott & Young - Change in family life and structure

A
  • the modern family is symmetrical ( divides
    responsibilities equally between partners)
    *The number of lone parent families has increased – which tend to be
    headed by women, providing role models for girls.
    *An increase in women taking on the breadwinner role – has led to a
    crisis of masculinity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT - GIRLS

A

Legislation such as the Equal Pay Act and Sex Discrimination Act has
created more equality and increased the proportion of women in
employment

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Francis

A

the growth in employment opportunities and the rise in young women’s occupational ambitions have increased their incentives to gain
educational qualifications

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

changes in employment - boys - Mac and Ghaill

A

w/c boys are experiencing a ‘crisis of masculinity’ – they
are socialised into seeing their future male identity in terms of having a
job/being the breadwinner, but the landscape has changed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

why crisis of masculinity

A
  • decline of the manufacturing industry & rise in long-term
    unemployment make it increasingly unlikely that males will be the main
    earners
  • New jobs in the service sector are often part time, desk based and suited to
    the skills and lifestyles of women.
  • traditional male roles are under threat and boys may lack motivation if they feel their prospects are limited.

Leading to lowered
expectations, low self-esteem, constructing a self image through laddish
behaviour and anti-school activity.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

evaluation of crisis of masculinity ( Mac and Ghaill)

A
  • decline of manufacturing only affects working class boys, possibly explaining their achievement relative to girls, but middle class girls
    outperform middle class boys too, who are less likely to associate masculinity with factory work.
  • Willis argued that the ‘Lads’ formed a counter school culture and rejected
    education even when they had jobs to go to, meaning there are other causes
    of male underachievement besides the crisis of masculinity.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Equal opportunities (policies)

A

*The work of sociologists in highlighting girls underperformance in the past = a greater emphasis in schools on equal opportunities.
*Policies introduced to address gender differences in subject choice and
encourage girls to choose sciences at school e.g. GIST and WISE.
*1988 Education Reform Act: introduced the National Curriculum meaning
all students studied the same core subjects e.g. sciences. Created a more
meritocratic education system, whereby males and females compete on
equal terms.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

evaluation of equal opportunities (policies)

A

Subjects like the sciences remain male dominated, despite the initiatives
such as GIST.
COLLEY

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

COLLEY

A

suggests that gender perceptions of different subjects influence subject choice, arts and humanities are seen as feminine and
science and technology masculine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

labelling

A

Girls are labelled as the ideal pupil, while boys may be labelled as troublemakers. Girls are positively labelled and respond with attention
and hard work, while it is expected that boys will mess about

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Swann and Graddol

A

teachers might spend more time with boys, however
interactions between teachers and girls are educational (teaching and
learning), whereas interactions with boys are about behaviour
management

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

anti-school subcultures

A

It is more likely that boys will form or join anti-school subcultures.
Peer-group pressure encourages boys to maintain a dominant masculine
identity, developed through resistance to school

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Epstein - anti school subcultures

A

w/c boys risked harassment, bullying and homophobic
comments if they appeared to be hard working at school

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Mitsos and Browne (feminisation of education)

A

Coursework suits girls as girls have better
organisation skills and are more perfectionis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Sewell (feminisation of education)

A
  • argues that education has become feminised and does not nurture masculine traits. - Boys become alienated by the feminised classroom. E.g. dominance of female teachers particularly in primary schools.
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

feminisation of education

A

Educational achievement is measured against skills where girls excel more than boys. E.g. high levels of coursework in original GCSEs which girls tend to perform better in

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

evaluation of feminisation of education

A

There is now relatively little coursework in GCSEs or A Levels, and girls are still performing better than boys. It would appear that girls are better at exams too

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

gender differences in education - facts and trends

A
  • Both genders’ results have generally increased over the past 30 years.
  • However, girls have improved significantly more than boys
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

gender differences in education - RISE OF FEMINISM

A

Since the 1960’s, feminism has grown and challenged patriarchy in all areas
of society.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

rise of feminism (main 3 aspects)

A
  • changing ambitions
  • changing families
  • changing employment
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Changing ambitions - Sue Sharpe

A

Girls’ priorities in the 1970s were love and marriage. Where as in the 1990s, this
changed to careers and independence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

how are changing ambitions a result of feminist

A

Feminism has made it possible for girls to
have realistic ambitions, including changes in
how women are perceived and laws such as
the Equal Pay Act

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

How changing ambitions positively impacted girls’ educational achievement

A

If girls are able to have ambitions that are
realistic, that provides them with more motivation to work hard in school, which could lead to better grades

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

changing ambitions sue Sharpe - evaluation

A

Sharp’s research
method involved studying the content of MAGAZINES (out dated)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

CHANGING FAMILIES

A
  • Increase in divorce rate
  • Female headed lone parent
    families
  • Increase in cohabitation
  • Women are having less children
  • More women staying single
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

changing employment p laws and policies put in place to improve position of working women

A
  • Equal pay act (1970)
  • Sex discrimination act (1975)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

internal factors within the education system that = girls improved performance

A
  • role models
  • coursework
  • selection and league tables
  • teacher attention
  • equal opportunities policy
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

equal opportunities policy - meritocracy

A

The equal opportunities policy has caused education to become more meritocratic. Girls now
have equal opportunities to
succeed.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

ROLE MODELS

A

There are now more female
teachers and head teachers
in schools compared to the
past. This provides a pro-
education role model for girls

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Gorad (2005) (GCSE’s)

A

found that the gender gap in achievement increased in 1998 when GCSE was introduced. Most of these subjects included coursework

37
Q

MITOS AND BROWNE (1998)

A

believed that girls do better than boys in course work because they are more
conscientious and organised

38
Q

FRENCH AND FRENCH (1983)

A

believed that
teachers paid both girls and boys equal attention for academic reasons. However, boys attracted more attention overall due to their misbehaviour

39
Q

FRANCIS (2001)

A

found that boys received
more attention. However, this is because they were disciplined more, teachers picked on them more, and teachers had lower expectations of them

40
Q

SWANN (1998)

A

found that boys dominate class discussions, whereas girls are better at listening
and cooperating. Teachers respond more
positively to girls behaviour, and therefore gave
them more encouragement

41
Q

selection and league tables

A
  • Marketisation policies such as league tables have led to competition between schools
  • Schools have an incentive to recruit more able
    students in order to boost their results and
    therefore boost their league table position
    -Girls are seen as ‘more able students’ and therefore
    get recruited into better schools, meaning they receive a better education and achieve more
42
Q

Anthony giddens

A
  • education historically reinforces gender roles and patriarchal roles
  • acknowledges feminism’s role in challenges biased curricula ( promoting equal opportunities for women + addressing intersectional inequalities to create more inclusive systems)
43
Q

role models for girls

A

now more female teachers and head teachers , pro-education role model for girls

44
Q

main reasons for boys underachievement

A
  • ‘laddish culture’
  • feminisation of schooling
  • globalisation
  • literacy
45
Q

SEWELL (2006)

A

argues boys are underachieving because education has become ‘feminised’
+ lack of masculine role models

46
Q

(sewell) education feminised

A

schools no longer embody traditional masculine traits
eg competition and leadership

47
Q

(sewell) lack of male role models

A
  • within schools education has become more feminised
  • only 1/6 primary school teachers are men
  • also rise of female headed lone-parent families also contributing factor
48
Q

FRANCIS (2001) - laddish subcultures

A
  • found that boys are concerned about being labelled as ‘smart’ by their peers, because this threatens their masculinity.
  • w/c subcultures see non-manual work (eg. schoolwork) as feminine
49
Q

Globalisation since the 1980’s

A
  • has meant that the
    manufacturing industries have relocated into development countries
  • therefore led to a decline in traditional male jobs in heavy industries mining
    within the UK
  • led to an identity crisis amongst males
  • Many boys now believe that they do not have a chance at getting a job and therefore have less motivation to get
    qualifications
50
Q

Literacy (boys underachievement)

A
  • Parents spend less time reading to their sons because it is seen as a feminine activity
  • Boys leisure interests (such as sport and computer games) do not encourage communication and language skills, whereas girls
    bedroom culture does
51
Q

vocational courses - 1%

A

Gender differences are most present, with only 1%
construction apprentices are female

52
Q

gender and subject choice - post 16 education

A

There is more choice available so bigger gender differences appear.

53
Q

gender and subject choice - national curriculum

A

Most subjects are compulsory, but where possible, girls and boys choose differently - eg. girls choose food technology, boys choose woodwork.

54
Q

GENDER IDENTITY & PEER
PRESSURE

A

Boys and girls pressurise each other to conform to gender stereotypes. For
example, boys often opt out of music because of the negative peer response and girls often opt out of sport fearing the accusations of being called ‘butch’ by peers

55
Q

Byrne (1979)

A

found teachers encourage
boys to be tough, whereas they expect girls to by quiet
and helpful.

56
Q

Gender domains

A

activities that are seen as either ‘male’ or ‘female’. For example, cooking is seen as a ‘female’ activity. Gender domains are set during primary socialisation

57
Q

BROWNE AND ROSS (1991)

A

found that when girls and boys were set open-ended tasks such as designing a boat, boys designed battleships but girls designed cruise ships which highlights the different gender domains

58
Q

gendered subject image

A

Subjects have a gendered image which are either seen as male or female.
- For example, science is
mainly taught by male teachers and textbooks contain more male subjects
and images. As a result of this, it is seen as a ‘male’ subject and more boys take it

59
Q

gendered careers

A

Many jobs are either seen as ‘male’ or ‘female’ and tend to be dominated by one gender. For example, nursing is dominated by women, but construction is dominated by men

60
Q

FEMINISTS

A

argue that
experiences in school act
as a form of social control
to reproduce patriarchy

61
Q

CONNELL (1995)

A

Connell argues that schools
reproduce ‘hegemonic
masculinity’ - the dominance
of the heterosexual
masculine identity and the
subordination of female and
gay identities.

62
Q

verbal abuse

A

Name-calling girls who act in a certain way makes them conform to male expectations, which therefore acts as a social control

63
Q

MAC AN GHAILL(1992) (verbal abuse)

A

found anti-school working
class boys use verbal abuse to reinforce their definitions of masculinity. They called
other working class pro-school boys ‘dickhead achievers’

64
Q

Haywood and Mac & Ghaill - teachers

A

found that male teachers
reinforced gender identities by telling boys off for
‘behaving like girls’ and ignoring boys’ verbal abuse of girls.

65
Q

the male gaze

A
  • a form of social control where male pupils and teachers look girls up and down as sexual objects.
  • Boys who do not do this may be labelled ‘gay’ which is another form of social
    control
66
Q

double standards - Lees

A

found that boys boast about their own sexual exploits, but label girls negatively for the same behaviour

67
Q

16%

A

In English GCSE girls outperform boys by 16% for ‘good grades’

68
Q

76.7% vs 69.8%

A

In 2022 GCCE’s 76.7% of females achieved a 4 or above , compared to 69.8% males

69
Q

7.4%

A

The gender gap is 7.4% for top grades (7) in all GCSE subjects

70
Q

3.9%

A

The gender gap in A level is 3.9%

71
Q

35%

A

Female school leavers are 35% more likely to apply to university than their male peers

72
Q

58%

A

Women from disadvantaged backgrounds are 58% more likely to apply for university
than men from the same background

73
Q

15%

A

primary school teachers are male

74
Q

> 75%

A

Over 75% of female secondary school pupils in the UK who attend mixed schools claim
that they received sexist comments from other pupils

75
Q

45%

A

In 2019, 45% of A level entries were males

76
Q

Browne shows us

A

achievement of
males & females within education has ‘Roller-
Coasted

77
Q

(Browne) Up until the 1980s

A

here was major concern about females’ low achievement levels

78
Q

(Browne) 1990’s

A

females began to significantly outperform males (esp. W/C males)

79
Q

( Browne) present day

A

The concern nowadays is that males tend to be underachieving compared
to females.

80
Q

Edwards and Davi

A

gendered primary socialisation gives girls an initial advantage in primary and secondary schools (but still tends to create a
male-dominated/patriarchal society

81
Q

example of early socialisation

A

parents allowed boys to be noisier than girls, this
translated into primary school boys being more likely to break rules and
less bothered than girls when told off by teachers

82
Q

Norman

A

gender stereotypes held by parents result in girls being
encouraged to be relatively passive, and to engage in quiet activities
(playing with dolls, indoors).

83
Q

‘Typical boys’ need time to play and ‘let off steam’

A

parents are likely to
be dismissive if their boys are in trouble at school

84
Q

bedroom culture caused by

A

early socialisation where gender stereotypes led by parents lead to girls being encouraged to be relatively passive and engage in quiet quiet activities whereas boys are allowed to get in trouble

85
Q

consequence of bedroom culture

A

girls end up with a larger vocabulary much earlier in school than boys and thus
tend to achieve higher in the education system

86
Q

Bedroom culture

A

girls are more likely to stay inside and do educational
activities like reading from a young age

87
Q

Hannan

A

peer groups have an influence - boys relate to their peers by doing (being active), girls relate to their peers by talking. This puts girls at an advantage as most subjects require good levels of comprehension and
writing skills

88
Q

evaluation of early socialisation

A
  • The socialisation of girls does not explain why they now achieve much higher
    than boys compared to the 1980s
    – if anything gender socialisation has
    become more gender neutral (less gender stereotyped) in recent years
89
Q

societal changes - feminism

A
  • Feminism has achieved success in improving the rights and raising the
    expectations and self-esteem of women.
  • have challenged the traditional stereotype of women’s roles as housewives and mothers, and more people have become aware of the
    problems of patriarchy and sex discrimination

sociology (21 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions