Gender and Subject choices
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- Created on: 27-04-17 18:49
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- Gender and Subject choices
- AS and A Level
- Gendered subject choices become more noticeable after 16, when students have more options
- With boys opting for Maths and Physics and girls choosing Sociology, English and Languages
- These differences are mirrored in subject choice at university
- These patterns are not new. The institute of Physics (2012) found that around 20% of A level physics students are girls
- This is the effectiveness of policies such as WISE and GIST aimed at encouraging girls for taking subjects like physics
- With boys opting for Maths and Physics and girls choosing Sociology, English and Languages
- Gendered subject choices become more noticeable after 16, when students have more options
- National Curriculum options
- Girls and boys choose differently, girls tend to choose the food technology and boys choose subjects such as graphics and resistant materials
- Explanations of gender differences in subject choice
- Why do boys and girls tend to choose different subjects?
- 4. Gendered career opportunities
- An important reason for differences in subject choice is the fact that employment is highly gendered: jobs tend to be se-typed as "men's" or "women's"
- Women's job often involve work similar to that performed by housewives such as childcare and nursing
- Women's employment falls within four categories: clerical, secretarial, personal services and occupations such as cleaning
- Only a sixth of male workers work within these jobs
- Women's employment falls within four categories: clerical, secretarial, personal services and occupations such as cleaning
- The job roles that boys and girls see as acceptable will in turn affect the subject choices they make
- This applies to vocational subjects
- Women's job often involve work similar to that performed by housewives such as childcare and nursing
- An important reason for differences in subject choice is the fact that employment is highly gendered: jobs tend to be se-typed as "men's" or "women's"
- 3. Gender identity and PEER PRESSURE
- Subject choice can be influences by peer pressure
- Paechter (1998)
- Found that because pupils see sport as male gender domain, girls who are 'sporty' have to cope with an image that contradicts the normal/usual female stereotype
- This may explains why girls are more likely than boys to take out sport from choices (not choosing sport)
- Found that because pupils see sport as male gender domain, girls who are 'sporty' have to cope with an image that contradicts the normal/usual female stereotype
- Dewar (1990) - American college study
- Found that male students would call girls 'lesbian' or 'butch' (unfeminine) if they were interested in sport
- Single sex schools = the absence of boys may mean there is less pressure on girls to conform to restrictive stereotypes of what subjects they can study
- Found that male students would call girls 'lesbian' or 'butch' (unfeminine) if they were interested in sport
- Paechter (1998)
- Subject choice can be influences by peer pressure
- 2. Gendered subject images
- Sociologist explain why some subjects are seen as boy's or girl's subjects.
- For example, Kelly argues that science is seen as boy's subject for the following reasons:
- -Science teachers are more likely to be men -The examples that teachers and text books interests boys rather then girls -In science lessons, boys dominate the laboratory, acting as if it is theirs
- For example, Kelly argues that science is seen as boy's subject for the following reasons:
- Colley (1998)
- Notes that computer studies are seen as masculine subject for two reasons:
- 1. It involves working with machines - part of the main gender domain 2.The way is taught is off-putting the girls. Teaching style formal, with few opportunities to work in groups, which girls favour
- Notes that computer studies are seen as masculine subject for two reasons:
- Single-sex schooling
- Pupils who attend this schools tend to hold less stereotyped subject image and make less traditional image
- Diana Leonard (2006)
- Found that girls in girls school were more likely to take maths and science A levels, and to study male-dominated subjects in university. While boys in boys school likely to study English and languages.
- Sociologist explain why some subjects are seen as boy's or girl's subjects.
- 1. Gender role Socialisation
- = Is the process of learning the behaviour expected of males and females in society
- Fiona Norma (1988)
- Notes that from an early age, boys and girls are dressed differently, given different toys and encouraged to take part in different activities
- Byrne (1979) - "schools play an important part"
- Teachers encourage boys to strong and not to be weak. Girls are expected to be quiet, helpful, clean and tidy
- Murphy & Elwood (1998)
- Show how different taste in reading lead to different subject choices
- Boys read hobby books & information texts, while girls read stories about people. This explains why boys prefer science subjects & girls subjects such as English
- Show how different taste in reading lead to different subject choices
- 4. Gendered career opportunities
- Why do boys and girls tend to choose different subjects?
- AS and A Level
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