Skip to main content

Gender Role Stereotypes in the Perception of Mathematics: An Empirical Study with Secondary Students in Germany

  • Chapter

Part of the book series: Advances in Mathematics Education ((AME))

Abstract

Findings from international educational studies such as TIMSS or PISA show that gender differences in mathematical achievements are now only marginal, or have completely vanished in many countries. Nevertheless, beliefs about the higher achievements in mathematics by boys are still widespread. In this chapter the results of a study of students’ views of gender-role stereotyping in mathematics are presented. For this study, 1244 German students from lower and upper secondary level (11–17 year olds) were tested using instruments developed by Forgasz and Leder concerned with gendered views of mathematics and mathematics education. The study clearly shows that as they grow up, boys as well as girls in contemporary Germany still have doubts concerning the equal mathematical performances of girls and boys, and internalise gendered stereotypes of girls being less talented and interested in mathematics, influenced by gender-role stereotypes within society, where mathematics is still described as a male domain.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   119.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   159.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Autorengruppe Bildungsberichterstattung (2010). Bildung in Deutschland – Ein indikatorengestützter Bericht mit einer Analyse zu Perspektiven des Bildungswesens im demografischen Wandel. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brandell, G., & Staberg, E-M. (2008). Mathematics: A female, male or gender-neutral domain? A study of attitudes among students at secondary level. Gender and Education, 20(5), 495–509.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brandell, G., Leder, G., & Nyström, P. (2007). Gender and mathematics: Recent development from a Swedish perspective. ZDM—The International Journal on Mathematics Education, 39(3), 235–250.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Else-Quest, N., Hyde, J. S., & Linn, M. C. (2010). Cross-national patterns of gender differences in mathematics: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 136(1), 103–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eurydice (2010). Gender differences in educational outcomes: Study on the measures taken and the current situation in Europe. Bruxelles: EACEA P9 Eurydice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fennema, E. (1974). Mathematics learning and the sexes: A review. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 5, 126–139.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fennema, E., & Sherman, J. (1976). Fennema–Sherman mathematics attitude scales. JSAS: Catalog of selected documents in psychology, 6(1):31 (Ms. No. 1225).

    Google Scholar 

  • Forgasz, H., Leder, G., & Gardner, P. (1999). The Fennema–Sherman mathematics as a male domain scale reexamined. Journal of Research in Mathematics Education, 30(3), 342–348.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forgasz, H., & Mittelberg, D. (2008). Israeli Jewish and Arab students’ gendering of mathematics. ZDM—The International Journal on Mathematics Education, 40(4), 545–558.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffstall, M., & Orschulik, A. B. (2009). Geschlechterrollenstereotype in der Wahrnehmung der Mathematik. Unpublished masters thesis, University of Hamburg, Hamburg.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyde, J. S., Lindberg, S. M., Linn, M. C., Ellis, A. B., & William, C. (2008). Gender similarities characterize math performance. Science, 321, 494–495.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leder, G., & Forgasz, H. (2002). Two new instruments to probe attitudes about gender and mathematics. ERIC, Resources in Education (RIE). [ERIC document number: ED463312]

    Google Scholar 

  • Leder, G., Forgasz, H., & Solar, C. (1996). Research and intervention programs in mathematics education: A gendered issue. In A. Bishop, K. Clements, C. Keitel, J. Kilpatrick, & C. Laborde (Eds.), Handbook of research in mathematics education (pp. 597–622). New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD (2009). Equally prepared for life? How 15-year-old boys and girls perform in school. Paris: OECD.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Tiedemann, J. (2000). Parents’ gender stereotypes and teachers’ beliefs as predictors of children’s concept of their mathematical ability in elementary school. Journal of Educational Psychology, 92, 308–315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tiedemann, J. (2002). Teachers’ gender stereotypes as determinants of teacher perceptions in elementary school mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 50, 49–62.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • WZBrief Bildung (2010). Lehrerinnen trifft keine Schuld an der Schulkrise der Jungen. Berlin: Wissenschaftszentrum Berlin für Sozialforschung.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gabriele Kaiser .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Appendix

Appendix

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Kaiser, G., Hoffstall, M., Orschulik, A.B. (2012). Gender Role Stereotypes in the Perception of Mathematics: An Empirical Study with Secondary Students in Germany. In: Forgasz, H., Rivera, F. (eds) Towards Equity in Mathematics Education. Advances in Mathematics Education. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27702-3_11

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics