The Consequences of Stereotyping

Stereotypes cause children to forget or distort counter-sterotypic information

One area of study concerns schematic processing. We have, for example, examined the effects of children’s racial and gender attitudes on their memory for information that confirms or contradicts their beliefs. Studies have shown that children tend to better remember stereotypical stories and may forget or distort counter stereotypical ones.

For example, in the picture on the right, children are more likely to "mis-remember" the doctor as a nurse (or remember her as a man!)

Schematic studies are important because they demonstrate how difficult it can be to modify stereotypes, especially by only presenting countersterotypical evidence. Children may either forget the information or change it, thus strengthening pre-existing stereotypes.

Related Publications:

Bigler, R. S. (1998). Psychological interventions designed to counter sexism in children:
Empirical limitations and theoretical foundations. In W. B. Swann, J. H. Langlois, &
L. A. Gilbert (Eds.), Sexism and stereotypes in modern society: The gender science of Janet Taylor Spence. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Averhart, C. J., & Bigler, R. S. (1997). Shades of meaning: Skin tone, racial attitudes, and
constructive memory in African American children. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,
67, 363-388.

Signorella, M. L., Bigler, R. S., & Liben, L. S. (1997). A meta-analysis of children's
memories for own-sex and other-sex information. Journal of Applied Developmental
Psychology, 18, 429-445.

Stereotypes affect job choices and valuations

We have also examined the influence of gender and race on children’s occupational perceptions, interests, and goals. In one study, elementary school age children (N = 129) from two age groups (6-8 and 11-12 years) judged familiar occupations (e.g., nurse, doctor) with respect to occupational status, desirability, and stereotyping. To evaluate the influence of workers’ gender separately from links between jobs and gender in the United States, children were asked to make these judgments for novel jobs that had been depicted with either male or female workers. Older (but not younger) children rated occupations performed by men significantly higher in status than the identical jobs performed by women. This work suggests that race and gender shape children's perceptions of the workforce, and their own occupational goals, in powerful ways.

Current studies are examining the roles of gender stereotyping, self-efficacy, and occupational values in the gender segregation of math and science fields. This work is important in suggesting that race and gender shape children’s perceptions of the workforce, and their own occupational goals, in powerful ways.

Right: Several novel jobs were presented to participants. (e.g., "A cartoner is someone who makes boxes) Right, Top: A male cartoner. Right, Bottom: A female cartoner. Subjects were likely to say that the job depicted was more important and better paid if it was done by a male.

Related Publications:

Liben, L. S., Bigler, R. S., & Krogh, H. R. (2001). Pink and blue collar jobs: Children's
judgments of job status and job aspirations in relation to sex of worker. Journal of
Experimental Child Psychology, 79, 346-363.

Weisgram, E. S. & Bigler, R. S. (2005). The role of gender-related attitudes and values in the gender segregation of scientific fields. Manuscript submitted for publication.

Next: How attitudes shape behaviors, and behaviors shape attitudes