Gender and Subject Choice Flashcards
Who is the sociologist for Gender Role socialisation?
Fiona Norman
What does Norman state?
From an early age, boys and girls were raised differently
How were boys and girls raised differently?
Dressed diff, given diff toys, encouraged to take part in diff activities
How do schools play a part in gender roles?
They encourage different attributes of them
What attributes do Schools encourage?
Boys = Be tough and show initiative
Girls = To be quiet, helpful, clean and tidy
What are the results of different socialisations?
They develop different tastes in reading
Who are the studies for different reading choices?
Elwood and Murphy
What are the differences in reading?
Boys = Hobby books and information texts
Girls = Stories about people
What do the differences in reading explain?
Boys = Prefer Science subjects
Girls = Prefer English
Who are the sociologists for Gender Domains?
Browne and Ross
What do Ross and Browne argue?
Gender domains are shaped by their early experiences and the expectations of adults
What is meant by Gender Domain?
Tasks and activities that boys and girls see as male/female territory
What is an example for Gender Domain?
Boys =
Mending a car is within Gender Domain but
Looking after a sick child does not
How are children more confident when engaging in Gender Domain tasks?
Girls may be more confident in tackling a food and nutrition task
Boys may be more confident in tackling a task about cars
What does Murphy find out for Gender Domain?
Boys and girls pay attention to diff detail when given the same task
How do pupils pay attention to diff details?
Girls = Focus more on how people feel
Boys = Focus more on how things are made and work
What is the result of pupils paying attention to diff details?
Girls choose humanities and art subjects
Boys choose science and maths subjects
What does Kelly argue?
Science is seen as a boys’ subject
Why is science seen as a boys subject?
Male teachers
Boys dominate lab, monopolise apparatus
Textbooks favour boys’ interests
What does Anne Colley note?
Computer studies is seen as a masculine subject
Why is Computer Studies seen as a masculine subject?
Machine work
Formal teaching style, little groupwork
What can influence Subject choice?
Peer pressure
Why may peer pressure happen?
If the boy or girl disapproves of an individuals choice
What is an example of peer pressure?
Boys = Opt out of music + dance as they are outside the GD
It’s likely to gain a negative response from peers
What did Paechter find?
Pupils view sport within male GD
= ‘Sporty’ girls have to cope with contradictory stereotypes
What does Paechter’s findings entail?
It explains why girls are more likely than boys to opt out of sport
What is Alison Dewar’s study on?
American college students
What does Dewar find out?
Boys will call sporty girls ‘lesbian’ or ‘butch’
Why is Peer pressure more likely in mixed schools?
Boys and girls can police one another’s subject choices
Why is Peer pressure less likely in same sex schools?
The absence of the opposite sex
What does the absence of boys mean?
Girls more likely to choose traditional boys subjects
What is employment?
Highly gendered
What do women’s job often involve?
Similar tasks performed by housewives
- Childcare and nursing
What do over half of all women’s employment fall within?
Clerical, secretarial, personal services and cleaning occupations
What does employment GD affect?
What type of jobs are acceptable for boys and girls
Why are vocational courses more gender specific than academical courses?
As they are more closely linked to student’s careers plans
