scholarly journals Grammar, gender and demonstratives in lateralized imagery for sentences

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikkel Wallentin ◽  
Roberta Rocca ◽  
Sofia Stroustrup
Keyword(s):  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Written Language ◽  
Gender Effects ◽  
Sentence Structure ◽  
Grammatical Subject ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
Reading Direction ◽  
Figure Drawings ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Significant Support

We investigated biases in the organization of imagery by asking participants to make stick-figure drawings of sentences containing a man, a woman and a transitive action (e.g. She kisses that guy). Previous findings show that prominent features of meaning and sentence structure are placed to the left in drawings, according to reading direction (e.g. Stroustrup & Wallentin, 2018). Five hundred thirty participants listened to sentences in Danish and made 8 drawings each. We replicated three findings: 1) that the first mentioned element is placed to the left more often, 2) that the agent in the sentence is placed to the left, and 3) that the grammatical subject is placed to the left of the object. We further tested hypotheses related to deixis and gender stereotypes. By adding demonstratives (e.g. Danish equivalents of this and that), that have been found to indicate attentional prominence, we tested the hypothesis that this is also translated into a left-ward bias in the produced drawings. We were unable to find support for this hypothesis. Analyses of gender biases tested the presence of a gender identification and a gender stereotype effect. According to the identification hypothesis, participants should attribute prominence to their own gender and draw it to the left, and according to the stereotype effect participants should be more prone to draw the male character to the left, regardless of own gender. We were not able to find significant support for either of the two gender effects. The combination of replications and null-findings suggest that the left-ward bias in the drawing experiment might be narrowly tied to left-to-right distribution in written language and less to overall prominence. No effect of handedness was observed.

scholarly journals Gender stereotype and the scientific career of women: Evidence from biomedical research centers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose G. Montalvo ◽  
Daniele Alimonti ◽  
Sonja Reiland ◽  
Isabelle Vernos
Keyword(s):  
General Population ◽  
Biomedical Research ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Academic Career ◽  
Research Centers ◽  
Scientific Career ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
And Gender ◽  
High Level ◽  
Science Association

AbstractWomen are underrepresented in the top ranks of the scientific career, including the biomedical disciplines. This is not generally the result of explicit and easily recognizable gender biases but the outcome of decisions with many components of unconscious nature that are difficult to assess. Evidence suggests that implicit gender stereotypes influence perceptions as well as decisions. To explore these potential reasons of women’s underrepresentation in life sciences we analyzed the outcome of gender-science and gender-career Implicit Association Tests (IAT) taken by 2,589 scientists working in high profile biomedical research centers. We found that male-science association is less pronounced among researchers than in the general population (34% below the level of the general population). However, this difference is mostly explained by the low level of the IAT score among female researchers. Despite the highly meritocratic view of the academic career, male scientists have a high level of male-science association (261% the level among women scientists), similar to the general population.

scholarly journals Mathematics and Gender Stereotypes in One Jewish and One Druze Grade 5 Classroom in Israel

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Mittelberg ◽  
Osnat Rozner ◽  
Helen Forgasz
Keyword(s):  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Mathematics Classroom ◽  
Mathematics Learning ◽  
Qualitative Case Studies ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
Grade 5 ◽  
Gendered Patterns ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Mathematics

We report findings from qualitative case studies of two grade 5 classrooms in Israel, one Jewish and one Druze. The aim was to identify classroom factors contributing to the differences in the gendered patterns of mathematics outcomes for Jewish and Arab Israeli students. Marked differences were found in the teachers' gender-related interactions with students, and their beliefs and expectations of boys' and girls' mathematical capabilities. The Jewish teacher held conventional gender-stereotyped beliefs of male mathematical superiority. The Druze teacher believed that girls required affirmative action to overcome implied gender biases in favour of males in the Druze community. The findings support earlier research and theoretical perspectives on gender-related issues in the mathematics classroom. In particular, when teachers hold gender-biased beliefs and expectations, students' classroom experiences and mathematics learning outcomes are impacted along gender lines.

Grammatical category influences lateralized imagery for sentences

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
SOFIA STROUSTRUP ◽  
MIKKEL WALLENTIN
Keyword(s):  
Natural Language ◽  
Functional Role ◽  
Meaning Construction ◽  
Female Character ◽  
Grammatical Category ◽  
Grammatical Subject ◽  
Reading Direction ◽  
Transitive Verbs ◽  
Figure Drawings ◽  
Natural Language Syntax

abstractNatural language syntax has previously been thought to reflect abstract processing rules independent of meaning construction. However, grammatical categories may serve a functional role by allocating attention towards recurrent topics in discourse. Here, we show that listeners incorporate grammatical category into imagery when producing stick figure drawings from heard sentences, supporting the latter view. Participants listened to sentences with transitive verbs that independently varied whether a male or a female character (1) was mentioned first, (2) was the agent or recipient of an action, and (3) was the grammatical subject or object of the sentence. Replicating previous findings, we show that the first named character as well as the agent of the sentence tends to be drawn to the left in the image, probably reflecting left-to-right reading direction. But we also find that the grammatical subject of the sentence has a propensity to be drawn to the left of the object. We interpret this to suggest that grammatical category carries discursive meaning as an attention allocator. Our findings also highlight how language influences processes hitherto thought to be non-linguistic.

Gender Biases in Textbooks for Introductory Psychology and Human Development

1992 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharyl Bender Peterson ◽  
Traci Kroner
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Task Force ◽  
American Psychological Association ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Introductory Psychology ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
And Gender ◽  
And Behavior

Because of spreading concerns about gender stereotypes in textbooks, in 1975 an American Psychological Association Task Force recommended changes in the type of language that should be used to report research findings and in the type of information that should be included in reports of psychological research. These recommendations also applied to the presentation of psychological information in textbooks. Studies in the subsequent 7 years indicated some decrease in the use of sex-stereotyped language and some decrease in gender-biased content. Researchers typically concluded, however, that although some improvements had occurred, gender biases and stereotypes still occurred in texts. The present study reports an extensive content analysis of current textbooks for introductory psychology and human development courses. Representation of the work, theory, and behavior of males continues to significantly exceed the representation of the work, theory, and behavior of females, and females continue to be portrayed in negative and gender-biased ways.

The Self-Description Questionnaire-1: A Lithuanian Application

1995 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Watkins ◽  
Anne McCreary Juhasz ◽  
Aldona Walker ◽  
Nijole Janvlaitiene
Keyword(s):  
Eastern Europe ◽  
Factor Structure ◽  
Response Bias ◽  
Internal Consistency ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
The Self ◽  
Nigerian Children ◽  
Gender Biases ◽  
And Gender

Analysis of the responses of 139 male and 83 female Lithuanian 12-14 year-olds to a translation of the Self-Description Questionnaire-1 (SDQ-1; Marsh, 1988 ) supported the internal consistency and factor structure of this instrument. Some evidence of a “positivity” response bias was found, however. Comparison of the Lithuanian responses to those of like-aged Australian, Chinese, Filipino, Nepalese, and Nigerian children indicated the Lithuanians tended to report rather lower self-esteem. The Lithuanian males also tended to report lower self-esteem than their female peers. Interpretation of the results are considered in terms of reactions to the recent upheavals in Eastern Europe, stable cultural dimensions, and possible cultural and gender biases in the items of the SDQ-1.

Multilevel analyses of personality, social, and gender effects on group climate and efficacy

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susannah Paletz ◽  
Judith Orasanu ◽  
Yuri Tada ◽  
Roberta Bernhard ◽  
Ute Fischer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gender Effects ◽  
Multilevel Analyses ◽  
Group Climate ◽  
And Gender

An investigation of STEM Interest, Mathematics Beliefs and gender stereotypes among pre-service early childhood educators

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Delahunty ◽  
Máire Ní Ríordáin ◽  
Mark Prendergast
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Gender Stereotypes ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Gender Stereotype ◽  
Early Childhood Teacher ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Global Issue ◽  
Underrepresentation Of Women ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Stem Interest

BackgroundThe underrepresentation of women in STEM fields is a pervasive global issue. Despite evidence casting doubt on the preconceived notions that males outperform females in these domains, gender stereotype beliefs persist and have been highlighted as potential cultural barriers limiting females opportunities. Gender stereotype and ability beliefs emerge in early childhood and recent evidence has highlighted early childhood education as a promising period for the cultivation of positive STEM dispositions. AimsThis study investigated gender stereotype beliefs, mathematical self-beliefs and STEM attitudes among a sample of pre-service early childhood teachers to assess the existence of stereotype endorsements and predictive relationships with STEM interests.SampleParticipants were pre-service early childhood teacher (N=74), mean age 21.17 years, 4 males and 70 femalesMethodsElectronic surveys utilising a series of pre-established scales, measuring gender stereotype bias from ability and cultural perspectives, mathematical self-belief variables (self-efficacy, self-concept, anxiety), and interest in STEM, were distributed. ResultsRegression analysis reveal previous level of mathematical study at secondary school, social persuasions as a sources of self-efficacy and gender stereotype endorsements as significant predictors of overall attitude to STEMConclusions Findings suggest the importance of previous school experience and social influences as well as participants’ gender stereotype endorsements in influencing interest in STEM. These data are discussed in light of implications for teachers; future practice and teacher education

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document