"WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?": GENDER STEREOTYPES AND CHILDREN'S PROFESSIONAL ASPIRATIONS

• Grant number: 25/04466-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2025
• End date: December 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Psychology - Human Development Psychology
• Principal Investigator: Débora de Hollanda Souza
• Grantee: Mayara da Vera Cruz Macêdo
• Host Institution: Centro de Educação e Ciências Humanas (CECH). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Several researchers have studied the effects of gender stereotypes on children's development and their influence on children's future career choices, such as encouraging boys to become engineers or girls to become teachers. The literature addresses how gender stereotypes tend to exaggerate perceptions of abilities and potential, particularly in educational and professional contexts, contributing to differences in treatment and opportunities for men and women, thus maintaining and perpetuating social inequalities. The main objective of this study is to contribute in the same direction by testing a possible correlation between gender stereotyping and school-aged children's preferences for their future professions. Forty-eight children from the 1st and 3rd grades from public elementary schools will participate. To measure the level of gender stereotyping, the Preschool Occupations, Activities, and Traits (POAT) Scale will be used. This scale assesses how stereotypical participants are, based on questions that measure children's attitudes toward others-AM (Attitude Measure)-and also by means of a personal measure-PM (Personal Measure)-which reflects children's self-perception regarding gender stereotypes. Additionally, children will answer a question about their future career perspectives ("What do you want to be when you grow up?" and "Why?"). A Spearman correlation analysis will be used to test an association between gender stereotyping scores and children's career preferences. Participants' justifications for their career preferences will be analyzed by means of a thematic analysis. Therefore, this project aims to contribute to a better understanding of the impact of gender stereotypes on school-aged children's career choices. (AU)