National Disparities Favoring Males Are Reflected in Girls' Implicit Associations about Gender and Academic Subjects
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| Title: | National Disparities Favoring Males Are Reflected in Girls' Implicit Associations about Gender and Academic Subjects |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Dario Cvencek (ORCID |
| Source: | Developmental Psychology. 2025 61(3):579-593. |
| Availability: | American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 15 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: | National Science Foundation (NSF), SBE Office of Multidisciplinary Activities (SBE/SMA) National Science Foundation (NSF), Division of Human Resource Development (HRD) |
| Contract Number: | 1640889 1661285 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Elementary Secondary Education Elementary Education Grade 4 Intermediate Grades |
| Descriptors: | Childrens Attitudes, Beliefs, Gender Differences, Socioeconomic Status, Academic Achievement, Association (Psychology), Age Differences, Achievement Tests, Mathematics Tests, International Assessment, Foreign Countries, Mathematics Achievement, Grade 4, Achievement Gap, Sex Stereotypes, Elementary School Students |
| Geographic Terms: | Chile, Croatia, Italy, Singapore, United States |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: | Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001797 |
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| Abstract: | Based on data for N = 2,756 children (1,410 girls; M[subscript age] = 8.10 years) from 16 data sets spanning five nations, this study investigated relations between national gender disparities and children's beliefs about gender and academic subjects. One national-level gender disparity involved inequalities in socioeconomic standing favoring adult males over females (U.N. Human Development Index). The other involved national-level gaps in standardized math achievement, favoring boys over girls (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Grade 4). Three novel findings emerged. First, girls' results from a Child Implicit Association Test showed that implicit associations linking "boys" with "math" and "girls" with "reading" were positively related to both national male advantages in socioeconomic standing and national boy advantages in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Second, these relations were obtained for implicit but not explicit measures of children's beliefs linking gender and academic subjects. Third, implicit associations linking gender to academic subjects increased significantly as a function of children's age. We propose a psychological account of why national gender disparities are likely to influence children's developing implicit associations about gender and academic subjects, especially for girls. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Notes: | https://osf.io/ksujx |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1502429 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Based on data for N = 2,756 children (1,410 girls; M[subscript age] = 8.10 years) from 16 data sets spanning five nations, this study investigated relations between national gender disparities and children's beliefs about gender and academic subjects. One national-level gender disparity involved inequalities in socioeconomic standing favoring adult males over females (U.N. Human Development Index). The other involved national-level gaps in standardized math achievement, favoring boys over girls (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study Grade 4). Three novel findings emerged. First, girls' results from a Child Implicit Association Test showed that implicit associations linking "boys" with "math" and "girls" with "reading" were positively related to both national male advantages in socioeconomic standing and national boy advantages in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study. Second, these relations were obtained for implicit but not explicit measures of children's beliefs linking gender and academic subjects. Third, implicit associations linking gender to academic subjects increased significantly as a function of children's age. We propose a psychological account of why national gender disparities are likely to influence children's developing implicit associations about gender and academic subjects, especially for girls. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0012-1649 1939-0599 |
| DOI: | 10.1037/dev0001797 |
