Development of Story Characters in Gender-Stereotypic and -Nonstereotypic Occupational Roles

Abstract

This research examined the creative writing responses of 140 third- and sixth-grade boy and girl writers to story characters cast in either stereotypic (male mechanic and female nurse) or nonstereotypic (female mechanic and male nurse) occupational roles. The 560 stories were examined for maintenance of character in assigned occupational role, development of character along gender-stereotypic and -nonstereotypic lines, and evidence of gender change in the lead character. Results suggested that development of character was consistent with gender expectations for the lead character in the stereotypic stories and in the nonstereotypic female mechanic story. For the nonstereotypic male nurse story, the development of character was consistent with the author's gender. Further evidence of stereotypic thinking occurred in those nonstereotypic stories where the lead character's gender was changed to be consistent with the stereotype of the occupational role. These findings support previous research on gender differences and gender perceptions