Gender differences: subject choice

Introduction

• at A-level girls are more likely to choose psychology, sociology, biology and boys I’m more likely to choose maths, physics, economics

• 93% of A-level computing students are male

• 24% of sociology students are boys

• Differences increase during post 16 education, as there is more choice available

• Overall, this is caused by socialisation, identity and school factors

What are the seven paragraphs on gender differences, subject choice?

• early socialisation

• Gender domains

• Gender subject image

• Peer pressure and gender identity

• Gendered careers

• Post 16 choices and national curriculum

• Single sex schools

Early socialisation

• girls and boys are directed towards different toys and activities

• Boys are encouraged to be tough and girls are expected to be quiet and calm

• Murphy and Elwood found that boys are more likely to read information books and girls are more likely to read stories

• Therefore, they develop different language skills

• Boys are analytical and girls are better with language

• This leads the different subject preferences

• However, this is deterministic as not all children follow roles

• Socialisation is changing, less influence today

Gender domains

• Refers to the activities that are seen as male or female

• Browne + Ross - children are more confident in tasks linked to their gender domain

• Therefore, students choose subjects they feel confident in

• However, this doesn’t explain why people choose non-traditional subjects

• Gender boundaries are all becoming less fixed

Gendered subject image

• Students choose subjects matching their gender identity

• Science is seen as male due to male teachers and textbooks (feature images of boys)

• Colley says that boys choose ICT as it involves machines and independent work

• 93% of A-level computing students are male

• However, not all students follow stereotypes

• Policies such as GIST + WISE challenge this

Peer pressure and gender identity

• Peer pressure reinforces gender subject choice

• Boys avoid feminine subjects such as drama, girls avoid par due to fear of being labelled butch

• Therefore peoples avoid subjects outside gender norms

• However some peoples resist pay pressure, more acceptance of diverse identities today

Gender careers

• peoples choose subjects that are associated with their future career aspirations

• Girls, she was health and social care for a future in nursing

• Boys choose woodwork and engineering for a future in construction

• Only one percent of construction apprentices are female

• How career options are changing, some individuals break gender norms

Post 16 choices and national curriculum

• post 16 choices allow freedom which create bigger gaps

• Emotional curriculum limits choice earlier (still choice available)

• Girls are more likely to choose food, tech and boys woodwork

• When peoples are afraid to choose gender norms become stronger

• Some schools challenge stereotypes

• Not all choices are fully free

Single sex school

• in single sex schools, there is no gender scripts

• There is less pressure and more freedom

• Girls are 2.5 times more likely to take physics than pupils attending regular school

• However, not everyone attends single sex school

• Effects may not continue after school

Conclusion

• Differences in subject choice are caused by multiple factors

• However, changes in society are reducing differences