The effect on primary children's classification of occupations by sex of a social studies unit on life in rural China
Date
1979
Authors
Mulligan, Vicki Bridge
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Abstract
Researchers have reported that children know which occupations men and women presently fill. Furthermore, children's stated career goals are most often occupations in which their own sex is well represented. The results of exposing children to curriculum materials created to demonstrate that men and women are equally able to fill work roles are reported here.
Four intact classes of second graders served as subjects. All subject s were pretested on an occupational classification measure. The instrument used consisted of pictures of occupational settings or of tools used by workers, Following a brief description of each occupation, subjects indicated whether only men, only women, or both men and women could do each job illustrated. The children's responses were compared using sex, socio-economic status, maternal employment status and intellectual maturity as control variables. Statistical analyses yielded no significant differences on any of these variables.
Two of the participating classes were randomly selected to receive the experimental curriculum treatment. This consisted of a six-week Social Studies unit dealing with life on a Chinese commune. The experimental materials represented male and female workers performing the same jobs. One class received a placebo treatment consisting of materials dealing with the children's own community. The placebo materials represented male and female workers in equal numbers but in different jobs. The fourth class served as a comparison group.
Following the curriculum treatments all subjects were posttested on the occupational classification measure and two weeks later they were post-posttested. Between the pretest and the posttest the number of jobs subjects said could be done by both sexes increased significantly for one of the two experimental classes and for the placebo class. These increases persisted to the post-posttest. No significant changes occurred in the scores of the second experimental class or the comparison class.
Children's responses on a subset of six jobs from the occupational classification measure were studied separately. These six jobs were illustrated in the experimental teaching unit being performed by both male and female workers. Between the pretest and the posttest the number of subset jobs which subjects said could be done by both sexes increased significantly for both experimental classes. The increase persisted to the post-posttest in only one of the classes. Between the pretest and the post-posttest the placebo class increased significantly the number of subset jobs the children said could be done by both sexes.
It was concluded that curriculum materials can be used to expand the number of jobs children classify as suitable for both sexes. Suggestions were offered to curriculum developers undertaking the revision of teaching materials for the purpose of eliminating sex bias.