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Reasonable or Unwarranted? Benevolent Gender Prejudice in Education in China

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Abstract

Benevolent gender prejudice, which is often implicit and might even seem goodwilled, has been attributed to perceived gender-based differences in rational thinking ability. Specifically, men have been perceived as having stronger rational thinking ability than women. Critical thinking, which is strongly associated with both creative thinking and creative research ability, is a significant aspect of rational thinking. Using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI), the present study measured a random sample of 1075 male and female undergraduates in China. The results indicated that females’ critical thinking disposition was slightly higher than that of males. It follows, then, that benevolent gender prejudice in education is based on ill-founded judgments about gender difference. These findings provide support for eradicating stereotypes about the relationship between gender and rational thinking, which can help to reduce gender prejudice in education and thereby promote healthy personal and professional development.

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Funding

Funding was provided by Shandong Social Science Research Planning in China (Grant Number 18CYMJ11).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shandong University, 27 Shanda Nanlu, Jinan, China

    Na Li

  2. Shandong Management University, Dingxiang Road, Changqing District, Jinan, China

    Na Li

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  1. Na Li
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Correspondence to Na Li.

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Li, N. Reasonable or Unwarranted? Benevolent Gender Prejudice in Education in China. Asia-Pacific Edu Res 31, 155–163 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40299-020-00546-6

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