GENDER DIFFERENCES

Question 1

EXTERNAL FACTORS IN GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT

1. IMPACT OF FEMINISM
2. CHANGES IN THE FAMILY
3. CHANGES IN WOMEN’S EMPLOYMENT

Answer 1

1. FEMINISM is a SOCIAL MOVEMENT that STRIVES for EQUAL RIGHTS for WOMEN. Since the 60’s they have CHALLENGED the TRADITIONAL STEREOYPE of a WOMAN’S ROLE as SOLELY MOTHER+HOUSEWIFE. Although FEMINISTS argue that WE HAVE NOT YET ACHIEVED FULL EQUALITY between the SEXES , they have BROUGHT ABOUT CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS of SUCCESS by IMPROVING WOMEN’S RIGHTS + OPPORTUNITIES through CHANGES TO THE LAW. Generally, FEMINISM has RAISED WOMEN’S EXPECTATIONS+SELF-ESTEEM.
   This is reflected in MCROBBIE’S study of GIRLS’ MAGAZINES. In the 1970’s, there was an emphasis on the IMPORTANCE of MARRIAGE and NOT ‘BEING LEFT ON THE SHELF’, whereas nowadays, they contain ASSERTIVE, INDEPENDENT WOMEN. SUCH CHANGES HAVE AFFECTED GIRL’S SELF-IMAGE and AMBITIONS which MAY EXPLAIN IMPROVEMNTS to their EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS.
2. Since the 1960’s there have been MAJOR CHANGES to the FAMILY like INCREASED divorce rate + SINGLE PARENT HOUSEHOLDs. In turn this AFFECTS GIRL’S ATTITUDES to EDUCATION. For eg, the INCREASED number of FEMALE-HEADED LONE-PARENT families may mean MORE WOMEN NEED to take on the role of the BREADWINNER. CREATING a NEW ROLE MODEL FOR GIRLS: the FINANCIALLY INDEPENDENT WOMAN. To ATTAIN this women need WELL-PAID JOBS and THUS GOOD QUALIFICATIONS.
3. the 1970 EQUAL PAY ACT makes it ILLEGAL for WOMEN TO BE PAID LESS THAN A MAN FOR WORK OF EQUAL VALUE and the SEX DISCRIMINATION ACT OUTLAWS DISCRIMATION AT WORK. These CHANGES have ENCOURAGED GIRLS to see their FUTURE BEYOND BEING HOUSEWIVES. The GREATER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES and BETTER PAY PROVIDES GRILS WITH AN INCENTIVE TO GAIN QUALIFICANTIONS.

Question 2

INTERNAL FACTORS IN GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ACHIEVEMENT:

1. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICIES
2. TEACHER ATTENTION
3. SELECTION + LEAGUE TABLES

Answer 2

1. FEMINISM has had a LARGE IMPACT on the EDUCATION SYSTEM. POLICYMAKERS are MORE AWARE of GENDER ISSUES + TEACHERS are more SENSITIVE in AVOIDIG STEREOTYPES. The NOTION that BOYS and GIRLS are ENTITLED to the SAME OPPORTUNITIES is now A PART OF MAINSTREAM THINKING and INFLUENCES POLICIES. GIST and WISE encourage girls to PURSUE CAREERS in NON-TRADITIONAL AREAS. BOALER sees the IMPACT of EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICIES as KEY REASONS for the CHANGES IN GIRL’ ACHIEVEMENT.
2. The way teachers interact with BOYS+GIRLS is DIFFERENT. FRENCH and FRENCH analysed CLASSROOM INTERACTIONS and FOUND BOYS RECEIVED MORE ATTENTION BECAUSE THEY DEMANDED MORE REPRIMANDS. SWANN also found GENDER DIFFERENCES in COMMUNICATION STYLES. Boys DOMINATE in WHOLE-CLASS DISCUSSIONS whilst girls PREFER PAIR-WORK+GROUP WORK and are BETTER at LISTENING and CO-OPERATING. This may explain WHY TEACHERS RESPOND MORE POSITIVELY TO GIRLS. This may LEAD to a SFP where the SUCCESSFUL INTERACTIONS with TEACHERS PROMOTE GIRL’S SELF-ESTEEM + RAISE their ACHIEVEMENT.
3. MARKETISATION policies have CREATED a COMPETITIVE CLIMATE where SCHOOLS see GIRLS as DESIRABLE as they ACHIEVE BETTER. JACKSON notes the INTRODUCTION of LEAGUE TABLES have IMPROVED OPPORTUNITES for GIRLS. This CREATES a SFP- because GIRLS are MORE LIKELY to be RECRUITED by GOOD SCHOOLS, they are MORE LIKELY TO DO WELL. As a result, BOYS are seen as ‘LIABILITY STUDENTS’- obstacles to the SCHOOL’S LEAUGUE TABLE.

Question 3

3 EXPLANATIONS OF GENDER DIFFERENCES IN SUBJECT CHOICE

1. gender role socialisation (GRS)
2. gendered subject images
3. gender identity + peer pressure

Answer 3

1. GRS is the process of learning behaviours expected of males + females of society.
   NORMAN (1988) notes from an early age boys and girls are dressed differently, given different toys and encouraged to take part in different activities. This is also reflected in school. BYRNE (1979) shows that teachers encourage boys to be TOUGH and NOT be weak. Girls on the other hand are expected to be QUIET and HELPFUL. Due to the difference in socialisation, boys +girls develop different tastes in reading. MURPHY+ELWOOD (1998) show how this leads to different subject choices. Boys read HOBBY BOOKS while girls read STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE. This helps to explain why boys PREFER SCIENCE SUBJECTS and why girls PREFER subjects like ENGLISH.
2. The gender image of a subject affects who is going to CHOOSE it. Sociologists have tried to explain why some subjects are seen as BOYS’ and others GIRLS’. KELLY argues that science is seen as a BOYS’ subject because SCIENCE TEACHERS are most likely to be MEN, BOYS monopolise the EQUIPMENT and act as if it id ‘theirs’ and EXAMPLES used in TEXTBOOKS are tailored to BOYS’ INTERESTS.
   COLLEY (1998) similarly notes that COMPUTER STUDIES is a masculine subject as it INVOLVES MACHINES- a part of the MALE GENDER DOMAIN and the way it is taught is OFF-PUTTING to FEMALES, tasks are ABSTRACT with little opportunity for GROUP WORK, which GIRLS FAVOUR
3. Subject choice can be influenced by PEER PRESSURE. BOYS usually opt out of MUSIC + DANCE because they fall OUTSIDE of their GENDER DOMAIN and is likely to ATTRACT a NEGATIVE RESPONSE from peers. PAECHTER (1998) found that pupils see sport as a MALE GENDER DOMAIN, girls who are ‘SPORTY’ have to endure being seen as independent from the CONVENTIONAL FEMALE STEREOTYPE, which may contribute to why FEMALES are more likely to OPT OUT OF SPORT. DEWAR’s (1990) study of AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS , found that MALE STUDENTS would CALL GIRLS ‘LESBIANS’ if they appeared interested in sports. This may also be true for science subjects, especially in mixed schools. THE INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS found that ‘doing physics as a girl in a mixed setting was OFF-PUTTING’. PEER PRESSURE is a powerful influence on GENDER IDENTITY and how PUPILS see themselves in relation to PARTICULAR SUBJECTS. In MIXED SCHOOLS , pupils POLICE one another SUBJECT CHOICES so that it suites their APPROPRIATE GNEDER IDENTITY, with GIRLS PRESSURED TO AVAOIS SUBJECTS LIKE PHYSICS. HOWEVER, the ABSENCE of PEER PRESSURE from the OPPOSITE SEX may explain why girls in SINGLE-SEX schools are MORE LIKELY TO CHOOSE TRADITIONAL BOYS’ SUBJECTS as their is less pressure to CONFORM to RESTRICTIVE STEREOTYPES

Question 4

3 ways in which PUPILS’ EXPERIENCES at school CONSTRUCT their GENDER + SEXUAL IDENTITIES:

1. DOUBLE STANDARDS
2. VERBAL ABUSE
3. THE MALE GAZE

Answer 4

1. LEES (1993) identifies a DOUBLE STANDARD of SEXUAL MORALITY in which BOYS BOAST about their own SEXUAL EXPLOITS but call a GIRL a ‘SLAG’ IF she DRESSES and SPEAKS a certain way. SEXUAL CONQUESTS are given STATUS by MALE PEERS + IGNORED by MALE TEACHERS but ‘PROMISCUITY’ in girls ATTRACTS negative labels.
2. CONNELL calls ‘A RICH VOCAB OF ABUSE’ a way for DOMINANT GENDER + SEXUAL IDENTITIES are REINFORCED. PAECHTER sees NAME-CALLING as HELPING to SHAPE GENDER IDENTITY+MAINTAIN MALE POWER, LABELS like ‘gay’ and ‘queer’ are WAYS pupils POLICE other’s SEXUAL IDENTITIES.
3. MAC an GHAILL sees there is a VISUAL ASPECT to the way PUPIL’S CONTROL each other’s IDENTITIES. This is found through the way MALE PUPILS+TEACHERS look GIRLS UP+DOWN like SEXUAL OBJECTS and JUDGING their APPEARANCE. The MALE GAZE is a form of SURVEILLANCE where DOMINANT HETEROSEXUAL MASCULINITY is REINFORCED + FEMININITY DEVALUED and IS one of the ways BOYS PROVE their MASCULINITY to FRIENDS. BOYS who DONT act this way are LABELLED GAY.