Parent-child conversations about science: the socialization of gender inequities?
This study investigated the family as a context for the gender typing of science achievement. Adolescents (N = 52) from 2 age levels (mean ages = 11 and 13 years) participated with their mothers and fathers on separate occasions; families were from predominantly middle-income European American backgrounds. Questionnaires measured the parents' and the child's attitudes. Each parent also engaged his or her child in 4 structured teaching activities (including science and nonscience tasks). There were no child gender or grade-level differences in children's science-related grades, self-efficacy, or interest. However, parents were more likely to believe that science was less interesting and more difficult for daughters than sons. In addition, parents' beliefs significantly predicted children's interest and self-efficacy in science. When parents' teaching language was examined, fathers tended to use more cognitively demanding speech with sons than with daughters during one of the science tasks.
Tenenbaum
Harriet R
HR
Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz 95064, USA. tenenbha@gse.harvard.edu
Leaper
Campbell
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010287:Parent-Child Relations; D012586:Science; D012649:Self Concept; D012737:Sex Factors; D012951:Socialization; D013240:Stereotyping; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires