Not All Math Activities Are Equal in Terms of Gender Stereotypes

The "math as male" stereotype is societally pervasive and emerges early in development. However, math is a broad and multifaceted domain that requires proficiency in several different cognitive skills. The current study explored the gender stereotypes associated with toys linked to the cognitive skills of numeracy, spatial reasoning, and patterning. Across three studies ( N = 878), adults viewed toys associated with each cognitive skill and reported who would prefer them: boys, girls, U.S. parents buying for boys versus girls, and self as a child. The gendering of toys varied by toy. The most consistent alignment was between spatial reasoning toys and boys. Results for numeracy and patterning toys were more mixed, but sometimes neutral or female-leaning. There also tended to be a shift when reporting about others' preferences versus own preferences, with a weaker male stereotype for the latter. Understanding how adults associate these cognitive skills with gender has important implications for research in mathematics education and belonging within STEM fields

Cognition · Cognitive skill · Domain (mathematical analysis · Numeracy · Spatial Ability · Stereotype (UML · Stereotype threat · Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills · Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques · Spatial Cognition and Navigation

• Math–Gender Stereotypes in Elementary School Children

  Open Access•Dario Cvencek, Andrew N Meltzoff et al.•Child Development•2011

  Incluir item

• Changes in Children’s Self-Competence and Values

  Open Access•Janis E Jacobs, Stephanie T Lanza et al.•Child Development•2002

  Incluir item

• On the leaky math pipeline

  Melanie C Steffens, Melanie Steffens et al.•Journal of Educational Psychology•2010

  Incluir item

• Evaluating gender similarities and differences using metasynthesis.

  Ethan Zell, Zlatan Krizan et al.•American Psychologist•2015

  Incluir item

• Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering

  Open Access•Alfred Master, Andrew N Meltzoff et al.•Proceedings of the National…•2021

  Incluir item

• Pathways to Mathematics

  Open Access•Johan A Lefevre, Jo-Anne LeFevre et al.•Child Development•2010

  Incluir item

• The Relation Between Space and Math

  Kelly S Mix, Yi-Ling Cheng•Advances in child development and…•2012

  Incluir item

• Building Blocks for Developing Spatial Skills

  Open Access•Jamie Jirout, Jamie J Jirout et al.•Psychological Science•2015

  Incluir item

• Early Math Trajectories

  Open Access•Bethany Rittle‐johnson, Bethany Rittle-Johnson et al.•Child Development•2017

  Incluir item

• The Bias Blind Spot

  Open Access•Emily Pronin, Daniel Lin et al.•Personality and Social Psychology…•2002

  Incluir item

• Predicting First–Grade Math Achievement from Developmental Number Sense Trajectories

  Open Access•Nancy C Jordan, David Kaplan et al.•Learning Disabilities Research &…•2007

  Incluir item

• Behaviorally Based Masculine- and Feminine-Activity-Preference Scales for Preschoolers

  Jane M Connor, Lisa A Serbin•Child Development•1977

  Incluir item

• Promoting Broad and Stable Improvements in Low-Income Children’s Numerical Knowledge Through Playing Number Board Games

  Open Access•Geetha B Ramani, Robert S Siegler•Child Development•2008

  Incluir item

• G*Power 3

  Open Access•Franz Faul, Edgar Erdfelder et al.•Behavior Research Methods•2007

  Incluir item

• The gender similarities hypothesis.

  Janet Shibley Hyde•American Psychologist•2005

  Incluir item

• Stereotypes and self-reports about spatial cognition

  Open Access•Ineke Van Der Ham, Vasiliki Koutzmpi•Current Psychology•2023

  Incluir item

• Gendered Packaging of a STEM Toy Influences Children's Play, Mechanical Learning, and Mothers’ Play Guidance

  Open Access•Emily F Coyle, Lynn S Liben•Child Development•2020

  Incluir item

• The development of gender differences in spatial reasoning

  Jillian E Lauer, Eukyung Yhang et al.•Psychological Bulletin•2019

  Incluir item

• Four-year olds’ understanding of repeating and growing patterns and its association with early numerical ability

  Open Access•Nore Wijns, Joke Torbeyns et al.•Early Childhood Research Quarterly•2019

  Incluir item

• The roles of patterning and spatial skills in early mathematics development

  Open Access•Bethany Rittle‐johnson, Erica L Zippert et al.•Early Childhood Research Quarterly•2018

  Incluir item

• Which preschool mathematics competencies are most predictive of fifth grade achievement

  Open Access•Tutrang Nguyen, Tyler W Watts et al.•Early Childhood Research Quarterly•2016

  Incluir item

• Effects of geometric toy design on parent–child interactions and spatial language

  Open Access•Brian N Verdine, Laura Zimmermann et al.•Early Childhood Research Quarterly•2018

  Incluir item

• Parents’ Beliefs about High School Students’ Spatial Abilities

  Open Access•Katherine Muenks, Emily Grossnickle Peterson et al.•Sex Roles•2019

  Incluir item

• Fiber Arts Require Spatial Skills

  Open Access•Grace Bennett-Pierre, Elizabeth A Gunderson•Sex Roles•2022

  Incluir item

• Parents’ Judgments about the Desirability of Toys for Their Children

  Open Access•Marlene Kollmayer, Marie-Thérèse Schultes et al.•Sex Roles•2018

  Incluir item

• How Important Is the Digital Divide? The Relation of Computer and Videogame Usage to Gender Differences in Mental Rotation Ability

  Open Access•Melissa Terlecki, Melissa S Terlecki et al.•Sex Roles•2005

  Incluir item

• Sex differences in spatial ability and spatial activities

  Open Access•Nora S Newcombe, Nora Newcombe et al.•Sex Roles•1983

  Incluir item

• Parent perceptions and attributions for children's math achievement

  Open Access•Doris K Yee, Jacquelynne S Eccles•Sex Roles•1988

  Incluir item

• Parents’ Math Gender Stereotypes and Their Correlates

  Open Access•Christine R Starr, Yannan Gao et al.•Sex Roles•2022

  Incluir item

• Understanding the Paradox in Math-Related Fields

  Open Access•Sapna Cheryan•Sex Roles•2011

  Incluir item

• Do Parents’ Academic Gender Stereotypes Influence Whether They Intrude on their Children’s Homework

  Open Access•Ruchi Bhanot, Jasna Jovanovic•Sex Roles•2005

  Incluir item

• Parents' Explanations of Their Child's Performance in Mathematics and Reading

  Open Access•Hannu Räty, Johanna Vänskä et al.•Sex Roles•2002

  Incluir item

• Children's competence and value beliefs from childhood through adolescence

  Jennifer A Fredricks, Jacquelynne S Eccles•Developmental Psychology•2002

  Incluir item

• Early puzzle play

  Susan C Levine, Kristin R Ratliff et al.•Developmental Psychology•2012

  Incluir item

• Children underperform following “math” but not “spatial” task framing

  Open Access•Lindsey Hildebrand, Sara Cordes•Developmental Psychology•2024

  Incluir item

• Early math matters

  Nancy C Jordan, David Kaplan et al.•Developmental Psychology•2009

  Incluir item

• Gender and mathematics

  Barbara Muzzatti, Franca Agnoli•Developmental Psychology•2007

  Incluir item

• Informal Numeracy Skills

  Open Access•David J Purpura, Christopher J Lonigan•American Educational Research…•2013

  Incluir item

• Magnitude of sex differences in spatial abilities

  Daniel Voyer, Susan D Voyer et al.•Psychological Bulletin•1995

  Incluir item

• Math = male, me = female, therefore math ≠ me

  Brian A Nosek, Mahzarin R Banaji et al.•Journal of Personality and Social…•2002

  Incluir item

• Stereotypes and prejudice

  Patricia G Devine•Journal of Personality and Social…•1989

  Incluir item

• The home math environment and math achievement

  Open Access•Mia C Daucourt, Amy R Napoli et al.•Psychological Bulletin•2021

  Incluir item

• Why are some STEM fields more gender balanced than others

  Open Access•Sapna Cheryan, Sianna A Ziegler et al.•Psychological Bulletin•2017

  Incluir item