Research Findings

 

Several of the key findings are summarized below. Additional findings are available from the project investigators.

 

Perceptions of the Media Literacy Interventions

• Participants viewed the discussion plus video media literacy condition as more vivid than the discussion only condition and than the control condition. Participants rated the discussion only condition as more vivid than the control condition.

 

• Participants rated the discussion plus video media literacy condition and the discussion only media literacy condition as more interesting than the control condition.

 

• Boys generally rated the media literacy interventions as less credible than did girls, and boys rated the discussion and video media literacy intervention as significantly less credible than did girls.

 

Recognition of Gender Stereotypes

• There were no differences by experimental condition of participants on the variables for recognition of gender stereotypes for scientists (cool, serious, boring, smart, hardworking, professional, skillful, expert). There were no significant interactions between experimental condition and participants’ biological sex on the variables for recognition of gender stereotypes for scientists (cool, serious, boring, smart, hardworking, professional, skillful, expert).

 

• Girls rated female scientists as more skillful, intelligent, and expert than did boys.

 

• Boys and girls did not differ significantly on their ratings of male scientists.

 

Attitudes toward Women in SET

• There were no differences by experimental condition of participants on attitudes toward women in science. There were no significant interactions between experimental condition and participants’ biological sex on attitudes toward women in science.

 

• Girls had more positive attitudes toward women in science.
• Girls were more likely than boys to perceive that females in SET could have both successful career and family lives.

 

• Girls were more likely than boys to endorse women’s science careers as having the same value as men’s science careers.

 

Attitudes toward SET and SET Careers

• There were no differences by experimental condition of participants on attitudes toward SET and SET careers. There were no significant interactions between experimental condition and participants’ biological sex on attitudes toward SET and SET careers.

 

• Girls viewed scientists as more normal than boys.

 

Perceptions of Media Portrayals of Women

• Participants in both media literacy interventions (discussion only and discussion plus video) were less likely to indicate that women are accurately portrayed in the media than those in the control condition.

 

• Boys were more likely to indicate that women are accurately portrayed in the media than were girls.

 

Media Importance

• Boys who rated the media as very important in their lives were more likely to have negative attitudes toward women in SET.

 

Perceptions of Stereotypes of Scientists (DAST)

• No differences were found for experimental condition in the depiction of gender of scientist drawn by students for the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST).

 

• Girls were more likely than boys to draw female scientists than male scientists for the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST).

 

• The most frequent stereotypes of scientists drawn by middle school students as identified by the Draw-A-Scientist Test (DAST) were the following: lab coat, glasses, male gender, expression/not smiling, crazy/messy hair, and works in a lab.

 

Other Findings

• A subset of participants (those in the discussion only media literacy condition) reported the following as television programs they watch where they see scientists: Dexter’s Laboratory, The Magic School Bus, Kim Possible, Crime Scene Investigation, Danny Phantom, X-Files, MythBusters, The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.