gender subject choices

Question 1

What are the factors affecting subject choice? (4)

Answer 1

1. Gender role socialisation
2. Subject images
3. gender identity / peer presure
4. Gender career options

Question 2

Gender role socialisation

Answer 2

• girls / boys socialised into expressive and instrumental roles
• NORMAN - girls and boys are dressed differently/ encourafed to take part in different activities
• girls dolls = carers
• Boys construction and legos - manual work

Question 3

Gender role socialisation - murphy

Answer 3

MURPHY - found boys and girls pay attention to different details when tackling the same task → girls focus on how people feel whilst boys focus on how things work. → girls choose humanities / arts and boys choose science

Question 4

Gender socialisation

WHat are gender domains ?

BROWN AND ROSS

Answer 4

Argue the belied about fender domains is shaped by early experiences

Question 5

Evaluation gender socialisation

Answer 5

Socialisation is changing - challenges assumptions of girls just being passive girls are socialised withe ssentiality of education

Question 6

Gender subject images

KELLY / COLLEY

Answer 6

Argues science seen as a boy sucject as
* teachers men
* boys monopolise equipment
* Exmples used in textbooks are boys

COLLEY - computer studies viewed as masculine - teaching style put off for girls

Question 7

Gender subject images - single sex schooling evaluation

LEONARD

Answer 7

pupils who attend single sex schools tend to make less stereotyped subject images
LEONARD → analysed data on 13,000 schools found that
girls in girls schools are more likely to take maths and science A levels.
Boys in boys schools more likely to take English and languages
The in mixed schools

OFten due to absense of peer pressure from opposite sex

Question 8

Gender identity and peer presure

PAECHETER

Answer 8

Argues that because pupils see sports as in male omain - sporty girls have to deal with an image that contradicts stereotypes - so many opt out

ALISON - Girl students labeled ‘lesbian or butch’ by boys if take sports

Question 9

Gender career opportunities

Answer 9

Gender career opportunities
Women’s jobs : often involve work similar to that by housewives → nursing / child care
Women concentrated in : clerical / secretarial / personal service

Sex typing → about what is acceptable and possible e.g if boys get messages nurses are female they would opt out

Also helps to explain vocational courses are more gender - specific than academic courses → as more closely linked to student career plans.