Subject Choice Flashcards
What are the 4 reasons for a difference in subject choice?
- gender role socialisation
- subject images
- peer pressure
- future career opportunities
According to Norman (1988), how does gender role socialisation shape subject choice?
Manipulation and canalisation
Points out girls and boys are socialised differently, they are given different toys to play with and are encouraged to show an interest in different activities.
According to Murphy and Elwood (1998), how does gender role socialisation lead to differences in subject choice.
Boys are raised to be more practical and therefore prefer science and maths. Girls prefer subjects with ties to reading to prefer English
According to Browne and Ross (1991), what are gender domains?
Where children pick up which areas of life are dominated by men or women. For example, seeing women care for children passes the idea that care is for women, therefore pick health and social care. By contrast, boys see men doing jobs such as DIY so therefore pick DT
Evaluation of the claim that gender role socialisation is the cause of a difference in subject choice
Movement away from GRS, with more awareness of mental health and the implications it causes for young people
According to Colley (1998), how do subject images lead to differences in subject choice?
Throughout time certain subjects have been promoted to give the impression they are suitable for either men and women. For example, courses such as science are taught by men and the textbooks reinforce this. Furthermore, English is taught by women and the subject includes discussion and reading which girls find more interesting.
According to Leanard (2006), why does subject image lead to differences in subject choice?
Found that behaviour within lessons contributed. Boys are more likely to dominate science lessons and take control of the equipment. This will put off girls. Make girls not pick the subject higher up school.
Same sex schools didn’t have this problem, image barriers were removed and the equality of choice was prevalent.
According to Paechter (1998), how does peer pressure lead to differences in subject choice?
Friends make an impact. Subjects such as PE are regarded as masculine because of the sporting element, so Boys are persuaded to pick it.
Girls are in fear of being labelled “butch” by their peers if they pick a masculine subject. Therefore girls are discouraged from picking subjects that are for the boys.
Boys mocked for choosing health and social care as it is feminine.
Evaluation of the claim that subject image has led to differences in subject choice
Policies such as GIST and WISE has removed this.
Evaluation of the view that peer pressure has led to differences in subject choice
Family has more impact
How does future career opportunities affect differences in subject choice?
Girls are more likely to have aspirations to work in the care sector, which explains why they are more likely to pick health and social care and childcare.
On the other hand boys are more likely to consider careers in STEM such as engineering and medicine.
Working class students are more likely to pick gendered vocational subjects such as hair dressing and mechanics.
Middle class students are going to pick subjects which leads them into higher education (STEM and nursing)
Evaluation of the claim that future career opportunities impact upon subject choice
Very few people know at 14 and 16 about future life prospects
