Gender Beliefs Research Articles

Is vaccine confidence an unexpected victim of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Vaccines are among the safest and most effective primary prevention measures. Thanks to the synergistic global efforts of research institutions, pharmaceutical companies and national health services, COVID-19 vaccination campaigns were successfully rolled out less than a year after the start of the pandemic. While the unprecedented speed of development and approval of COVID-19 vaccines has been applauded as a public health success story, it also spurred considerable controversy and hesitancy even amongst individuals that did not previously hold anti-vaccination stances. This study aimed to compare pre- and post-pandemic vaccine confidence trends in different demographic groups by analysing the outcomes of two online surveys run respectively in November 2019 and January 2022 involving a total of 1009 participants.Non-parametric tests highlighted a statistically significant decline in vaccine confidence in the 2022 cohort compared to the 2019 cohort, with median Vaccine Confidence Score dropping from 22 to 20 and 23.8% of participants reporting that their confidence in vaccines had declined since the onset of the pandemic. While the majority of internal trends were comparable between the two surveys with regards to gender, graduate status and religious belief, vaccine confidence patterns showed considerable alterations with regards to age and ethnicity. Middle-aged participants were considerably more hesitant than younger groups in the 2019 cohort, however this was not the case in the 2022 survey. In both surveys White participants showed significantly higher vaccine confidence than those from Black backgrounds; in the 2022 cohort, unlike the pre-pandemic group, Asian participants showed significantly lower confidence than White ones.This study suggests that paradoxically, despite the success of COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, vaccine confidence has significantly declined since the onset of the pandemic; the comparison of a pre- and post-pandemic cohort sheds light on the differential effect that the pandemic had on vaccine confidence in different demographic groups.

A Comparison of Sexual Minority and Heterosexual College Students on Gendered Sexual Scripts and Sexual Coercion Perpetration.

Prior work has identified endorsement of gendered sexual script beliefs as predictive of sexual coercion perpetration among heterosexual individuals, primarily men. This research is lacking among sexual minority individuals and may be important in informing inclusive and effective sexual coercion prevention efforts. The current study sought to (1) assess the level of adherence to gendered sexual script beliefs, (2) report relative rates of general sexual coercion and sexual intimate partner violence (IPV), and (3) examine the relationship between gendered sexual script beliefs and self-reported sexually coercive behavior among sexual minority and heterosexual college men and women. Undergraduate students (n = 1,199; 182 sexual minorities) completed self-report measures assessing gendered sexual script beliefs, sexual coercion perpetration, and sexual IPV. Results from Gender × Sexual Minority group ANOVAs and logistic regression analyses indicated similar rates of perpetration across sexual orientation groups, with men overall reporting the most perpetration. Furthermore, men and heterosexual individuals adhered more strongly to gendered sexual scripts than women and sexual minority individuals, respectively. Results of path models revealed no moderation by sexual orientation, and that adherence to gendered sexual scripts was positively related to sexual IPV perpetration among the full sample of heterosexual and nonheterosexual individuals, though this effect was small. Gendered sexual scripts did not significantly relate to general sexual coercion perpetration among the full sample, suggesting that traditional sexual script beliefs may not be as relevant to perpetration in a contemporary college sample. This study adds to limited literature on sexual coercion perpetration among sexual minority individuals and is an important step in understanding relationships between endorsement of gendered sexual script beliefs and sexual coercion perpetration among sexual minority and heterosexual college students.

Does intrahousehold bargaining power enhance women's marital satisfaction? A perspective from two competing forces in China

AbstractIn the context of two competing forces (i.e., socioeconomic transformation vs. traditional cultural norms) influencing Chinese family and its members, the paper uses the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) to empirically examine the causal relation between intrahousehold bargaining power and women's marital satisfaction. By employing an instrumental variable approach, the paper finds that intrahousehold bargaining power negatively affects women's marital satisfaction. This conclusion remains valid after performing various robustness checks. However, there are some heterogeneous effects found that the negative effect is particularly significant among those women of higher age and constrained by external traditional norms. These women are more conservative in their own thoughts and thus tend to support the traditional gender belief of “men being the masters of the family.”

Der assistierte Suizid

After the Federal Constitutional Court overturned the ban on business-like assisted suicide in 2020, politicians, society and the medical profession are discussing legal protective measures to prevent abuse. This survey among members of the DGPPN is the first to record the attitudes and experiences regarding assisted suicide of psychiatrists and other mental health workers in Germany, as suicidality and assisted suicide are highly relevant topics for medicine and especially for psychiatry and psychotherapy. The survey was conducted as an online survey with aspecially created questionnaire and aDSGVO-compliant data protection concept and sent to atotal of 9356 members. In addition to the descriptive analysis of the questionnaire, the free-text responses were subjected to an additional qualitative analysis. Finally, correlations between sociodemographic variables and relevant items were examined. A total of 2048 members participated in the survey (22%). Most participants (88%) considered a(new) legal regulation of assisted suicide to be necessary; the separation of counselling, assessment and execution of assisted suicide was mentioned most frequently (76%). The majority considered assisted suicide to be legitimate under certain circumstances when the suicide wish is freely made (72%), especially in cases of high suffering and near the end of life (67%). Age, gender, and religious beliefs were found to be significant influencing factors in several responses. Alarge majority of the DGPPN members consider it necessary to find alegal regulation that prevents abuse of assisted suicide; however, while most participants did not consider assisted suicide to be legitimate or illegitimate in principle, but rather made this dependent on the specific circumstances of the suicide wish, more than half ruled out to assist with suicide. The results represent an important contribution to the political debates about legal protective measures.

Young people’s constructions of gender norms and attitudes towards violence against women: a critical review of qualitative empirical literature

ABSTRACT A growing body of work highlights the increasing significance of violence against women (VAW) in the lives of young people. Research focusing on young people’s gendered attitudes and beliefs towards VAW has a key role to play in explaining and addressing this serious societal phenomenon, but to date, there has been no critical synthesis of empirical literature. This article addresses this lacuna by critically reviewing qualitative empirical research which explores how young people’s attitudes towards, and understandings of, VAW are intertwined with their constructions of gender. We find that young people’s gendered beliefs around men’s perceived physical strength, their construction of heterosexual gender norms and relations, and use of bio-deterministic discourses, are highly salient in moderating attitudes towards VAW, and can lead young people to normalize and justify VAW. Young people express complex and contradictory attitudes towards VAW. Thus, while declaring an intolerance of violence in general, they indicate differing levels of acceptability for different types of violence, dependent on situational context. Reflecting on the methodological scope of the literature, we suggest that qualitative research tools have an important role to play in exploring this attitudinal complexity.

THE IMPORTANCE OF WORKFORCE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AS A GLOBAL IMPERATIVE – A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW

Workforce diversity is an international phenomenon in developed and developing countries. Diversity is an issue that has gotten a lot of attention in many fields; diversity and inclusion have become accepted as a global business topic. Workplace diversity (WPD) is a holistic concept that refers to company employees’ disparities. It refers to the complex physical, sociological, and psychological characteristics characterising an individual or group, such as gender, race, sexual orientation, and religious or political beliefs. Academics and practitioners alike are paying increased attention to workforce diversity. This research aims to investigate and provide a conceptual understanding and significance of diversity, especially workplace diversity in different countries; the literature also examines their methodology to investigate workforce diversity. Also, this paper explores literature about the increasing global influence of workforce diversity and its effect on the workplace drawing on previous studies. In addition, because of the benefits to the organisation and the people who work there, diversity in the workplace has become a meaningful and significant topic. The research took a qualitative approach through a comprehensive review of previous literature. The primary purpose of this article is to review the literature on workforce diversity on a global basis.

Differences in health beliefs and behavior compliance of the patients with chronic renal failure

Health belief is about a patient’s belief that vulnerability and treatment efficacy can affect health behavior decisions. This research investigated the difference in behavior compliance of patients with chronic renal failure based on gender and health beliefs' contribution to it. The sample of this research was 30 male and 30 female renal failure patients at Brigjend H. Hasan Basry Hospital. Data was collected by behavior compliance scale and health belief scale. Multivariate analysis was used to analyze the data. The results show a significant relationship between male and female patients' health beliefs and behavior compliance. The health belief of male patients is higher than female patients, while the behavior compliance of female patients is higher than males. It can be concluded that health and gender are factors affecting behavior compliance. Therefore, paramedics may increase patients' health beliefs to enhance behavior compliance, especially among female patients with chronic renal failure.

Nursing students doing gender: Implications for higher education and the nursing profession.

The average age of women nursing students in Australia is rising. With this comes the likelihood that more now begin university with family responsibilities, and with their lives structured by the roles of mother and partner. Women with more traditionally gendered ideas of these roles, such as nurturing others and self-sacrifice, are known to be attracted to nursing as a profession; once at university, however, these students can be vulnerable to gender role stress from the competing demands of study. A qualitative research design, guided by Gadamer's hermeneutic philosophy, explored the gendered behaviours and experiences of 22 women nursing students, all of whom had children and began university in a heterosexual intimate relationship. The findings reveal traditional ideas of gender were almost universal among participants, and these ideas had a significant influence on the nursing degree experience. Participants commonly prioritised family over the university and practiced maternal gatekeeping (prevention of male partner involvement in domestic work). These traditionally gendered behaviours, coupled with experiences of gender role stress, had a detrimental impact on participants' capacity to study and their personal wellbeing. The importance of these findings to the burgeoning nursing workforce shortage nursing is considered in terms of student retention and the supply of graduates into the profession. The implications to the nursing profession are also explored against the evidence that nursing students with traditional gender beliefs are less likely to develop as autonomous, critical thinking nurses compared to their gender-egalitarian peers. The introduction of gender theory via critical pedagogy in the undergraduate nursing degree curriculum is recommended to enlighten and empower women nursing students and promote the competence, agility, and sustainability of the nursing profession.

Challenges to female college principals and vice principals: Patriarchal gender beliefs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan

The purpose of this study is to provide an insight view about the challenges to female government college principals and vice principals in Chitral, Pakistan. The study uses in-depth interviews for data collection and on the basis of predetermined criteria, the study participants were selected. The findings of the study explain that in district Chitral female government college principals and vice principals face socio-cultural, religious, and political challenges in their work place and remain under tremendous pressure that leads to limit their efficiency and restrict their professional growth. However, very few principals and vice principals are satisfied with their jobs because of supportive families. Therefore, the study recommends that these aspects be placed before forums for consideration to rightly empower the female principalship/education leadership for assurance of quality female education in Chitral and Pakistan, through real delegation of power with a conducive environment to female government college principals and vice principals.

What’s In It for Me(n)? The Impact of Self-Interest on Men’s Support for Gender Equality Initiatives

The present studies aim to investigate whether self-interest may be utilized to motivate men to support gender equality initiatives in the workplace. In Study 1, I tested whether framing a gender equality initiative as beneficial to self leads to more support from men compared to framing the initiative as beneficial to others only. I also examined the moderating effect of social dominance orientation (SDO) and the mediating effect of zero-sum gender beliefs (ZSGBs). In Study 2, I tested the moderating effect of champion gender with a 2 (Framing: Self-interest, No Self-interest) x 2 (Champion gender: Male, Female) factorial between-subject design. Together, the two studies revealed that a gender equality initiative framed as beneficial to men garnered more support than when it is framed as beneficial to women only and this effect was significantly moderated by SDO. However, having a male champion does not alleviate the negative impact SDO has on the relationship between self-interest and support for gender equality; this relationship was not mediated by ZSGBs either. Taken together, the current findings urge a paradigm shift from focusing on mitigating gender biases that affect women to emphasizing the positive changes that can be brought by a more inclusive approach to gender equality in the workplace.

Correlates of sexual harassment victimization among adolescents: A scoping review

AbstractSexual harassment (SH) is an important public health problem among adolescents and is associated with negative outcomes. Using a theory‐based, developmentally‐informed approach, this scoping review focuses on SH victimization among adolescents (number of studies included = 20) and aims to (1) examine how the extant literature on correlates of SH defined and measured SH, and (2) identify correlates associated with SH victimization among adolescents, focusing particularly on differences between boys and girls. For the first objective, results showed variations in the definition of SH used, with very few studies employing validated measures of SH. For the second objective, the most frequently examined and supported correlates were those stemming from transactional models. Important gender differences in correlates emerged between boys and girls. Among girls' previous victimization experiences emerged as the most consistent correlates of SH, while among boys, adherence to gender role norms and beliefs and higher perception of personal power were most consistently associated with higher SH victimization. Prevention of SH needs to include youth, teachers, and parents as the results show the influence of all these social contexts in SH victimization. These prevention efforts should target groups at higher risk of SH, such as sexual and gender minority youth.

SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND CASTE IN INDIA: AN ANALYTICAL STUDY

Indian society is known as multi-lingual, multi-religious, multi-castes, and multi-cultural in nature. Indian constitution gives equal rights to everyone regardless of gender, caste, class, community, language, and religious beliefs but it has been observed that caste plays an ascriptive role in Indian society since it divides society in a stratified manner which designates and promotes the hierarchical dogmatism and a sense of superiority to its lower caste. This creates discontent and disharmony in the society which becomes a crucial factor to nourish the disintegration in the society. The current study aimed to describe the impact of the divisive nature of caste on social integration in India. This empirical study included 216 respondents. The descriptive and explorative methodology was applied to achieve the results. To find out the principal factors that determine social disintegration due to caste impression in India, the data were analyzed by the SPSS version 26. The finding of the study provided that the divisive nature of the caste really hurts the societal integration power of India.

The Mediating Effect of Traditional Gender Beliefs on the Relationship between Gender Disparities and Intimate Partner Violence Perpetration

ABSTRACT Intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration risk may be increased or reduced within a couple depending on adherence to traditional gender roles. The purpose of this study is to determine how gender role disparities (when a woman earns more or is more educated than a man) are associated with men’s IPV perpetration and whether traditional gender belief adherence is a mediator for these associations. Survey data from the United Nations Multi-Country Study on Men and Violence in Asia and the Pacific were used to examine differences in IPV perpetration among a sample of 4,303 men, for relationships where the woman earns more or is more educated than the man as well as traditional gender beliefs as a mediator between gender role disparities and perpetration. The findings indicate that gender disparities predict IPV perpetration, and the effect is mediated through traditional gender beliefs. However, the direction of the effects differed for different types of disparities, with income disparities increasing the risk of IPV perpetration and educational disparities reducing perpetration. Efforts to increase women’s education may lower their male partner’s risk of perpetrating IPV, while economic interventions increasing women’s earnings above their male partners may have the unintended consequence of increasing risk of IPV.

Gender and Access to Finance: Perceived Constraints of Majority‐Female‐owned Indian Firms

AbstractDo firms with majority female ownership differ from firms with minority female ownership or male‐owned firms in terms of perceived constraints on accessing finance? Using World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) data for Indian firms, our results show that there is no significant difference in male‐ and female‐owned firms in terms of their perceptions about accessing finance. Yet, this is true only for firms with minority female ownership (less than 50%). Firms with majority female ownership do perceive more constraints on accessing finance relative to firms with minority female ownership or zero female ownership. Based on demand‐ and supply‐side factors relating to business inexperience, weaker networking, and lender perceptions, as suggested by signalling and gender congruity theories, the results imply that majority‐female‐owned firms need to negotiate more for financing access, as they need to display positive signals for those investors who might possess stereotypical and gendered beliefs about the abilities of entrepreneurs. We also find that in relation to funding sources being one's own retained earnings or money from family and friends or advances from clients, majority‐female‐owned firms do not perceive financial barriers differently from male‐owned firms or firms with minority female ownership.

Toward Gender Equality in Education—Teachers’ Beliefs about Gender and Math

Math has a strong gender-related image, even among teachers. As teachers hold beliefs about their work, their role, their subject, and their students, they shape girls’ and boys’ mathematical beliefs and attitudes. Research during the past 20 years has shown that teachers’ gender beliefs about mathematics significantly favor boys, thereby reinforcing girls’ low math ability self-concept. Still, there is a lack of studies that examine teachers’ gender-related beliefs based on their underlying assumptions. Our study provides the first empirical evidence of the relationship between general gender stereotypes and math stereotypes. To this end, we used partial correlation and MANCOVA to analyze data from an online survey in 2019/2020 conducted in Switzerland (195 women, 80 men) as part of a cross-cultural comparison study. We therefore created a differentiated profile of prospective teachers by examining their beliefs about their self-image, their image of men and women in society, their essentialist and gender role ideology beliefs, and their math stereotypes. Then, we linked prospective teachers’ beliefs about gender (based on 48 characteristics) to their beliefs about mathematics and about girls’ and boys’ competencies in math. The extensive analysis provides knowledge about prospective teachers and is particularly important for teacher education.

GENDER ROLES, RELIGION, AND ATTITUDES TOWARDS HOMOSEXUALITY AND PREMARITAL SEX IN TURKEY

Previous studies have indicated that traditional gender beliefs and religiosity have a negative impact on liberal sexual relations in Western societies. The present research utilized data from the 2011 World Value Survey (WVS) of Turkey (N=1,605) to examine the relationship between traditional gender roles, religion, and attitudes toward homosexuality and pre-marital sex, representatives of liberal sexual morality. Guided by a theoretical framework that synthesizes traditional gender roles and religious perspectives, several hypotheses were created and tested. Results from logistic regression models reveal that even though both the gender roles and religiosity are significant factors that play an important role in negative attitudes toward homosexuality and pre-marital sex in Turkey, traditional gender roles seem to be the strongest factor of conservative attitudes toward sexual relations. The theoretical implications of the current research were discussed for future studies.

Gendered attitudes to fruit and vegetable consumption during the COVID-19 epidemic: Implications for policy and programming

abstract Existing literature suggests that increased consumption of fruit and vegetables is not only important for general health but is also critical for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. However, consumption of fruit and vegetables in South Africa remains low and gendered, with women consuming more vegetables because of social and cultural reasons. Using the gender and development approach as a theoretical lens, this paper explores the consumption of fruit and vegetables during the COVID-19 epidemic, drawing on qualitative research (focus groups and key informant interviews) conducted among communities and stakeholders in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga. The paper draws out key themes emerging from the discussions on consumption of fruit and vegetables in the selected communities through content analysis. Consistent with the literature, the study findings suggest that fruit and vegetable consumption is low and that gender and cultural beliefs affect consumption. Although communities know about and consume indigenous vegetables, perceptions of these as foods of the poor and their unavailability in major retail stores limit their consumption. Retailers as dominant players in the food system dictate the fruits and vegetables that are sold and consumed, and rather than reflecting the diversity of the population, these tend to reflect the interests and tastes of the owners of the means of production. Social media obfuscated the gender differences in the consumption of specific vegetables and fruits. This paper underscores the gendered attitudes, while unravelling the embeddedness of cultural mores, values, and taboos on the consumption of fruit and vegetables in a time of COVID-19. Policies and programmes for improving consumption of fruit and vegetables need to be culturally appropriate and need to decolonise the food system, to improve access to and consumption of indigenous varieties.

Badass marines: Resistance practices against the introduction of women in the Dutch military

AbstractGender and diversity interventions often do not have the planned effect, at least partly because of resistance. As a result, resistance is predominantly perceived as a negative to overcome. Contributing to theories on resistance to gender change, this paper increases our understanding of resistance practices and explores how these contribute to organizational change. Drawing on a case study in the Dutch military, we present a fine‐grained analysis of the discursive resistance practices to the introduction of women in a previously men‐only military unit. The paper brings together three strands of literature: on gender interventions, on organizational resistance, and on hegemonic military masculinity to unpack the nuances in resistance. We highlight the ambiguities and contradictions in the discursive resistance practices, and explicate how these entail shifts in organizational gender beliefs and the discourse on hegemonic military masculinity. We conclude that instead of trying to avoid resistance, there is a need to better understand what kind of change resistance is already putting into motion.

Factors affecting adolescents' science career expectations in Asian and Western top-performing educational systems

In the digital era, the supply of science workforce determines the growth of an economic system. We compared the impacts of potential factors (gender, socioeconomic status, science achievement, motivations, and epistemic beliefs) on adolescents' science career expectations, and examined whether there were commonalities and differences across academically top-performing economies. Specifically, we contrasted Asian economies [Beijing-Shanghai-Jiangsu-Guangdong (BSJG)—China, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Macao, Singapore] against high-achieving or large Western countries with many science-job seekers (Australia, Canada, Estonia, Finland, New Zealand, UK, USA) using the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2015 data set. Results showed: (a) Although not all Western countries excelled in science achievement in this comparison group, generally they (except Finland and Estonia) had higher instrumental motivation; and attracted more girls, students weak in science, and even low in science enjoyment to join science careers. (b) Singapore was outstanding in having many students attracted to science careers as in the Western economies and had excellent science achievement. (c) Many of the other Asian economies were strong in science, but had relatively low enjoyment, instrumental motivation, and epistemic belief in science; and had fewer adolescents attracted to science careers. Relations between students' characteristics and their career expectations in Science and Engineering, Health Service, and Information and Communications Technology categories were also examined.

The effect of an empowerment education package with self- determination approach on girl students math performance and gender beliefs (with low performance in this lesson)

The effect of an empowerment education package with self- determination approach on girl students math performance and gender beliefs (with low performance in this lesson)