Children as young as six years old are already developing gender stereotypes, with a larger share believing boys are better than girls at computing and engineering.
That is according to a new study from the American Institutes for Research (AIR), which examined data from 145,000 children across 33 nations. The study focused mainly on children's gender stereotypes in STEM and verbal abilities.
The researchers specifically examined data involving children aged 4 to 17 and found that those aged six had already begun developing gender stereotypes on different subjects. These stereotypes, researchers said, could have been developed "at home or in other environments before K-12 schooling."
What Were the Specific Stereotypes?
Children were asked which gender performed better on a number of subjects. In computing, 35% of six-year-olds said they believed boys were more capable. This compared to only 22% of children the same age who said girls were better at computing.
That said, it is important to note that 43% of respondents said there was no difference between genders when it came to computing, according to the findings.
However, the gender stereotypes were stronger in other subjects. In engineering, for example, 52% of children aged 6 believe boys to be more capable than girls compared to only 10% who said otherwise. At least 39% said there was no difference.
Within other STEM fields, children believe boys are better in physics but said girls are likely more capable in biology. Girls dominated in verbal domains such as reading and writing---a stereotype that first emerges among children age 8 and strengthens in older ages.
The study also noted that some children had different stereotypes across race and culture. Specifically, Black children had weaker stereotypes about boys being better at STEM subjects than White kids.
How Can Gender Stereotypes in Children Affect Career Choices?
Gender stereotypes can have negative impacts on the career choices of children, possibly limiting their potential from an early age. In fact, data from 2018 showed that women made up only 24.8% of the workforce in natural and applied sciences, 6.3% in transportation and equipment operation, and 2.1% in construction.
In comparison, women constituted 82.2% of health sector workers in the same year.
