Cultural Stereotypes, Child Development, and STEM Learning: The Science of Learning and

its Translation to Education

Andrew N. Meltzoff Co-Director LIFE Center University of Washington

http://ilabs.washington.edu

In the USA there is intense and increasing attention paid to learning in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This is also a world-wide concern

This national report had a large impact on research and policy inside the USA and beyond

The Washington State Academy of Sciences issued a informative report on STEM in 2011, see: www.washacad.org

The science of learning is beginning to inform educational theory and practice. Education Nation was seen by 52M people in September, 2011, see: www.educationnation.com

In Seattle, Washington we launched a major study of cultural stereotypes and how they influence our children, see:

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, Child Development, 2011

Math-Gender Stereotypes in Elementary-School Children

Background: There is currently an under-representation of women in math-intensive fields in USA

Question: Innate Aptitude or Cultural Influence?

Without denying the influence of neurobiology, we investigated the role that stereotypes play in influencing

girls’ self-concepts and interest in math

There is a stereotype about math and gender in the USA

Social psychology studies document that most American adults think: •  Math is a male thing •  Reading is a female thing

What’s Known about Children

American children reflect stereotype: •  Elementary-school girls rate their own math

ability as lower than boys –– even though their actual math performance matches or exceeds boys

• Do not rate themselves lower for reading or spelling

• USA stereotype of “boys but not girls do math”

Theoretical Issues

• How young do children ‘catch’ this cultural stereotype?

• Might the stereotype influence self-concepts for math in elementary-school?

Math Male

Self

Stereotype

Gender Identity Self-Concept

Conceptual Terms and Framework

When Are Kids Affected?

• We developed a new test • Applied it to large sample USA kids • Discovered the timeline

Children

Measures • Self-report (explicit measure) • Implicit Association Test (IAT) adapted

for children

~247 participants ~50 children in each grade 1st - 5th

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, Child Development, 2011

Study of Math-Gender Stereotypes

Child Implicit Association Test (IAT)

Item List: Michael

story Emily

numbers David letters

Boy math

Girl reading

numbers

Stereotype Congruent (easy/fast)

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, Child Development, 2011

IAT

Sco

re (D

)

0.00

Me = Girl

0.50

–0.25

–0.50

Me = Reading Math =

Opposite Gender

0.25 *

Girls Boys

Me = Boy

Me = Math

Math = Own Gender

* *

Math–Gender Stereotype

Math Self-Concept

Gender Identity

Implicit Measures: Results

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, Child Development, 2011

Developmental Theory Based on Balance Theories (Heider, Greenwald, etc.)

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald Child Development (2011)

• Very young children identify with being of their own gender (gender identity). Pre-school development.

• Next children absorb cultural stereotypes such as ‘girls ≠ math.’ Our new research indicates children absorb this stereotype as early as 2nd grade.

• Finally, children draw an unconscious inference: ‘I’m a girl, girls ≠ math, therefore I ≠ math. The stereotype is internalized and applied to the self. Our research indicates this occurs by 3rd grade.

Cvencek, Greenwald, & Meltzoff, chapter in Cognitive Consistency (2011)

Cross-Cultural Work on Stereotypes and Math Self-Concepts

• Singapore interesting case study

We are collaborating with the National Institute of Education

in Singapore

Cross-Cultural Collaboration: Seattle & Singapore

Tested ~180 children in Grades 1, 3, and 5

• Are stereotypes different? • Are self-concepts different? • Do stereotypes relate to math achievement?

Cvencek, Kapur, & Meltzoff, In prep.

Preliminary Results

We finished cross-cultural data collection Preliminary look at data suggests that:

• Math-gender stereotypes are less pronounced in Singapore • Singaporean children identify with math more than in USA • Individual children’s stereotypes and self-concepts about math

predict actual math performance on standardized tests

Next Steps for Theory: Basic Science

• Explore where stereotypes come from - Parents, peers, school, media & cultural messages

• Developmental pathways linking cultural stereotypes, self-concepts, academic performance. Investigate

causal mechanisms.

• Understand individual differences - Of course, some females excel; role models; cost

• Compare implicit and explicit tests

• Extend to other social stereotypes (race, rich-poor, etc.)

Next Steps Practical Applications: “Translational Science”

We developed a new test for pre-school children. This will allow us to study even earleier origins so interventions can be designed as early as possible The Pre-school Implicit Association Test (PSIAT) (Patent pending)

Cvencek, Meltzoff, & Greenwald, J. of Exp. Child Psychology (2011)

Next Steps Practical Applications: “Translational Science”

• Design interventions

- Based on our results, educational practices aimed at enhancing girls’ self-concepts for math should occur early during elementary school

- Interventions for other ages and domains (e.g., college students and stereotypes about computer-science see: Cheryan, Kim, & Meltzoff, Computers & Education, 2011