Children's Gender Role Stereotyping: The Effect on Asian and Non‐Asian Australian Pre‐school Children of an Anti‐bias Curriculum

Abstract

Children acquire gender role stereotypes from social influences such as cultural background, the media, home environment, and centre‐based children's services. Gender role stereotyping affects children by restricting their experiences on the basis of their gender. The study investigated whether the gender role aspects in the Anti‐bias Curriculum developed by Derman Sparks affected (a) children's level of gender role stereotyping, (b) children from different cultures differently, and (c) girls and boys differently. The gender role aspects in the Anti‐bias Curriculum were experienced by 8 Asian Australian and 9 non‐Asian Australian four‐year‐olds in one centre. A contrast centre with 8 Asian Australian and 10 non‐Asian Australian four‐year‐olds did not implement the gender role stereotyping perspectives of the Anti‐bias Curriculum. A 2 (Curriculum) x 2 (Race) x 2 (Gender) analysis of covariance was undertaken of the gender role stereotyping post‐test score with the pre‐test score, occupational status of mothers and of father, and the attendance patterns as the covariates. The study found that (a) amongst the children who experienced the Anti‐bias Curriculum there was a greater awareness of anti‐bias gender roles than for children from the contrast centre, (b) both Asian and non‐Asian Australian children showed an increasing awareness of anti‐bias gender roles if they had experienced an Anti‐bias Curriculum (with the Asian Australian children being less aware than were the non‐Asian Australian children), and (c) both girls and boys showed an increasing awareness of anti‐bias gender roles but did not differ either at the start or the end of the intervention. The importance of curriculum in changing children's understanding of gender role stereotyping, the conflict of values for Asian Australian children, and implications for implementing the Anti‐bias Curriculum with Australian children from Non‐Asian Australian backgrounds are explored.