Sex-Role Stereotypes: Children's Perceptions of Occupational Competence

Abstract

Children's perception of occupational competence was studied as a measure of sex-role stereotyping. Children from Grade 1 (25 boys, 25 girls), Grade 4 (25 boys, 30 girls), and Grade 6 (25 boys, 29 girls) in single-sex schools and children from Grade 1 (15 boys, 10 girls), Grade 4 (15 boys, 11 girls), and Grade 6 (9 boys, 12 girls) in a coeducational school were asked to rate the competence of a male and a female in traditionally male occupations. There was an increase in competence ascribed to the male occupant as a function of higher grade level and an increase in competence ascribed to the female occupant as a function of type of school, with children in the coeducational school rating females higher. Older children perceived greater differences between males' and females' competence, in favour of males, as did children at single-sex schools. No significant differences due to sex of child were found.