Abstract:
How does the representation of boy and girl exemplars in curricular materials affect students\' learning? We tested two competing hypotheses about the impact of gender exemplar on learning: First, in line with Social Learning Theory, children might exhibit a same-gender bias such that they prefer to learn from exemplars that match their gender (H1). Second, consistent with research on children\'s stereotypes about gender and math (e.g., associating boys with math competence), children might prefer to learn from exemplars who match their stereotypes about who is good at math (H2). We tested these hypotheses with children in middle school (N = 166), a time of development in which stereotypes are well-engrained, but before gender differences in math achievement appear. Children viewed two distinct math strategies, each presented by a boy or girl exemplar. We then examined which strategy children employed on a subsequent math test as well as their perceived similarity to the exemplars and their awareness or endorsement of gender-math stereotypes. Children did not preferentially learn from same-gender exemplars. However, children with stereotypes associating boys with math were more likely to learn the more difficult strategy when it was presented by a boy exemplar than children who did not associate boys with math. The results of this study provide valuable insight into how children\'s stereotypes impact their real-world learning. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: How does the representation of boy and girl exemplars in children\'s curricular materials affect their learning? Past research demonstrates that children prefer to learn from same-gender exemplars, but also hold a stereotype that boys are better at math. In the current study, we test whether children preferentially adopt a math strategy presented by a boy or girl exemplar. Children who held the belief that boys are better at math were more likely to learn a difficult strategy from boy exemplars than children who did not endorse this stereotype.
摘要:
课程材料中男孩和女孩范例的表现如何影响学生的学习?我们测试了关于性别范例对学习的影响的两个相互竞争的假设:第一,符合社会学习理论,儿童可能表现出相同性别的偏见,因此他们更喜欢从与他们的性别(H1)相匹配的样本中学习。第二,与儿童对性别和数学的刻板印象的研究一致(例如,将男孩与数学能力相关联),孩子们可能更喜欢从符合他们关于谁擅长数学的刻板印象的榜样中学习(H2)。我们在中学的孩子身上测试了这些假设(N=166),一个刻板印象根深蒂固的发展时期,但是在数学成绩出现性别差异之前。孩子们看到了两种截然不同的数学策略,每个由男孩或女孩的例子。然后,我们检查了儿童在随后的数学测试中采用的策略,以及他们与榜样的相似性以及他们对性别数学刻板印象的认识或认可。儿童不优先从同性范例中学习。然而,与不将男孩与数学联系起来的儿童相比,具有刻板印象的儿童更有可能学习由男孩示例提出的更困难的策略。这项研究的结果为儿童的刻板印象如何影响他们的真实世界学习提供了有价值的见解。研究重点:儿童课程材料中男孩和女孩范例的表现如何影响他们的学习?过去的研究表明,儿童更喜欢从相同性别的范例中学习,但也有一种刻板印象,认为男孩更擅长数学。在目前的研究中,我们测试孩子是否优先采用男孩或女孩的数学策略。与不认可这种刻板印象的孩子相比,那些相信男孩数学更好的孩子更有可能从男孩榜样中学到困难的策略。