Kimberly Crossman
Children’s Literature and Gender:
A Study Proposal
By
Kimberly Dickerson
Fall 2006, SOC 275
Professor Jeremiah Coldsmith
December 4, 2006
Study Rationale
Studying gender perceptions and the current societal values being relayed to children is important to understand because confusion of gender roles in early childhood may affect later relationships and success. If the messages that are being sent to children are different from those being specifically taught to them, this may lead to confusion on the child’s part. Furthermore, if the gender stereotypes that are being projected through children’s literature do not reflect the beliefs of current time, the more egalitarian value system will take longer to become normative in society.
While current society exhibits a more egalitarian model of the genders, gender expectations and perceptions remain within a traditional model of specific gender segregation. With this concept in mind, I propose the following research question: Do the values projected from children’s picture books influence children’s perceptions with regards to gender roles? To answer these questions, one must examine various children’s books and determine the values being expressed from these books, while keeping in mind the concrete stage (i.e. very little abstract thinking) of the child’s brain development. Further research is needed in regards to the role of literature in gender stereotyping in children. This study proposes to collect data for this question through the utilization of interviews with children of a predetermined age. The subjects will be asked questions regarding gender roles in general to determine predispositions, use books they’ve read and ask questions about different characters, and show new pictures/scenes and ask the participant for their perceptions. In this way, one may determine if values depicted in children’s picture books influence children’s perceptions with regards to gender roles.
Gender roles in Children’s Picture Books: A Review of Current Literature
At an early age, children begin constructing rules for governing society through information gathered by observation and modeling by their peers, parents, and other adults. These rules pertain to the constructs governing normative language and behavior, especially in regards to gender. Gender represents an individual’s social categorization into the social constructs of “male” and “female.” It therefore follows that gender roles are the behavioral norms of a respective gender. An individual’s gender role perceptions are their own constructed beliefs about what constitutes appropriate male or female behavior. While this study recognizes the homosexual population, the focus is on heterosexual gender perceptions. These perceptions and implicit rules governing our behavior begin forming as early as two years old and continue to evolve as an individual continually processes the information around them (Berk, 2002).
Studying gender perceptions and the current societal values being relayed to children is important to understand because confusion of gender roles in early childhood may affect later relationships and dictate one’s social integration. If the messages that are being sent to children are different from the values being specifically taught to them, this may lead to confusion on the child’s part. Furthermore, if the gender stereotypes that are being projected do not reflect the beliefs of current time, the more egalitarian value system that is taking effect in American culture will take longer to become normative in society.
One resource from which children ascertain gender roles is from picture books. During early childhood, children often become obsessive about particular books and have repeated exposure to them. Picture books are especially influential on gender role perceptions as they provide visual cues to children about specific behaviors. These visual cues help to solidify gender roles in their minds. Children may also reference these images cognitively when exploring the world around them. The influence of a parent reading such books to their children makes the effect even more potent as the parental presence essentially influences the child to take these images as truth. These influences may in turn shape a child’s gender perceptions, especially in regards to behavior and occupation.
Picture Books and their Influence on Gender Perceptions
Past research has shown the influence of picture books to be an important resource when children are forming their gender attitudes (Trepanier-Street and Romatowski 1999). Children learn at early ages what it means to be “male” or “female.” Cognitive capabilities at that time dictate that these categories be viewed in very concrete terms. As such, children gather influence from all around them about societal rules for appropriate gender behavior (Gooden and Gooden 2001). While it is not picture books alone that form a child’s gender perceptions, these resources may support what children learn from surrounding society and reiterate a particular value set (Jackson and Gee 2005; Wharton 2005). Picture books help define gender-specific personality traits, occupations, parenting styles, and general behavior (Anderson and Hamilton 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004; Trepanier-Street and Romatowski 1999). Anderson and Hamilton (2005) further attest that the gender roles suggested in picture books transmit society’s belief system to new generations as characters in these books become a child’s “gender role model,” (146). By transmitting a particular set of societal beliefs through children’s literature, gender perceptions may reflect current societal beliefs and norms.
This study proposes that picture books not only influence a child’s gender perceptions but that they play an intimate role in the development of gender attitudes. This connection between picture books and gender perceptions is critical in establishing that picture books are relaying messages to children on a very concrete dimension. In this way, literature may establish what values are being transmitted. This research may in turn influence future development of such resources.
An asymmetrical distribution
It is well-established that picture books are influential on children’s gender perceptions. Let us now explore what these gender role depictions are. The majority of studies have focused on gender attitudes in regards to women’s roles, as gender equality has continually progressed in American society (Jackson and Gee 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004; Gooden and Gooden 2001). These studies found that despite advances in gender equality in American society, these values are often not found in children’s literature. Jackson and Gee (2005) found that traditional gender roles (i.e. nurturing females and active males) are still very much present in modern literature. This theme of the domestic female may be found throughout several studies (Jackson and Gee 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004; Gooden and Gooden 2001). The domestic female is characterized by a meek personality, active devotion to house chores, and specific physical attributes like long hair and clothing type (Wharton 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004). Females as strong primary characters in children’s stories are further found to be significantly less than males (Gooden and Gooden 2001). This representation of females is often referred to as being a traditional depiction and is heavily debated regarding it’s’ merits and faults.
These implications are not solely limited to female gender perceptions but to males as well. Research has surfaced which examines males as inept individuals or as distant parents (Wharton 2005; Anderson and Hamilton 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004). These studies have uncovered a negative projection of males in children’s literature. Wharton (2005) introduces us to the “buffoon male,” in which males exhibit poor problem solving abilities and that this ineptitude is to be expected. This idea of the helpless and buffoon-like male illustrates how abundant roles in literature are not always a positive thing. Another trend explored by researchers is the idea of the distant male parent. Anderson and Hamilton (2005) found that fathers are largely underrepresented in parenting roles and are often portrayed as ineffectual parents. Such depictions may be viewed as the traditional masculine gender qualities, as nurturing is often considered a “female” domain (Diekman and Murnen 2004). In this study, the traditional sense of male parents is depicted negatively, despite males’ abundant and prominent occurrences in literature.
For this study, the possibility of an asymmetrical gender distribution will be explored, focusing primarily on occurrences in illustrations and exhibited occupations or behaviors. While the shear number of roles for males and females are important (Wharton 2005; Gooden and Gooden 2001), this study will also explore the depictions of the characters in their occupation or behavior, as seen in numerous studies (Anderson and Hamilton 2005; Jackson and Gee 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004; Trepanier-Street and Romatowski 1999).
Gender role depictions effect’s on readers
While current society exhibits a more egalitarian model of the genders, gender expectations and perceptions remain within a traditional model of specific gender segregation, especially as seen in children’s picture books. With this concept in mind, this researcher proposes the following research question: Do the gender role depictions in popular children’s picture books influence children’s perceptions with regards to gender roles? Whether or not the gender role depictions are favorable will not be addressed in this study. This research is interested in (a) what gender role depictions are present in current popular children’s picture books, and (b) if these books have any influence on the reader’s gender role perceptions. The question of whether or not the projected values are harmful will not be explored.
Current Study
The dependent variable for the current study is young (ages 5 to 8 years old) children’s gender role perceptions. As previously mentioned, gender role perceptions are an individual’s personal beliefs in regards to the behavioral norms associated with the male and female genders in a given society. Gender perceptions will be measured according to the exhibited attitudes about occupations and behaviors, as seen in the Trepanier-Street and Romatowski (1999) study. Gender stereotypical occupation attitudes are classified as expressing views that agree with the segregation of genders in traditionally gender dominated occupations, such as homemakers (female-dominated) and policemen (male-dominated) (Trepanier-Street and Romatowski 1999). Stereotypical gender behaviors are similarly classified as an individual’s actions that are traditionally viewed as male or female, such as aggressiveness (male) or tenderness (female) (Wharton 2005; Diekman and Murnen 2004). In this way, one may determine whether a subject’s gender role perceptions are “traditional” or otherwise.
The independent variable for the current study is gender depictions in children’s literature. In this study, gender depictions in children’s literature refer to the values and portrayal of males and females in children’s books, as exhibited in character roles and behaviors. Traditional gender perceptions depict behavior typical of traditional beliefs and not in gender neutral or gender equal depictions, whereas non-traditional gender perceptions are much more gender neutral. With these constructs in mind, one may classify children’s books as “traditional” or “nontraditional” for later comparison with subject’s attitudes and perceptions. It is in these ways that the current study is structured.
Data Collection Method
For this study, data collection is two-fold, as two separate steps must be taken to gather the appropriate information. First, the gender depictions in children’s books will be determined before interviewing children. In order to determine this, the study will utilize a field research technique called qualitative coding to categorize specific children’s illustrations as either “traditional” or “non-traditional.” This step is best accomplished by using a coding sheet and trained research assistants. Since traditional gender perceptions are often ingrained and hard to distinguish unless actively searching for them, using trained research assistants in a controlled setting with standardized coding sheets is the best approach for this determination. By categorizing the selected children’s picture books prior to gathering data from the subjects, the researcher may then deduce whether or not the subjects perceptions are consistent with the depictions in the books or not. This step provides a baseline with which to compare our data from the subjects.
The second data collection method is to determine the gender perceptions being received from children’s picture books by their readers. To determine this, the study will use an interview questionnaire. Using questionnaires is best for this study as there are numerous variables. Furthermore, distributing questionnaires through interviews is crucial in this study as the subjects are children. A less rigid format will assist in collecting data from the children, as strictly formulated questions may prove difficult to get accurate answers. Furthermore, using an interview style will yield a greater response rate and will be useful in explaining or prompting the subjects to answer. Prior to the questionnaire interview, a pretest will be given to establish the gender perceptions before exposing the subjects to the predetermined picture books. The pretest questionnaire is located in the appendix (page v).
By utilizing these two separate and distinct steps in the data collection process, this study may establish the connection or lack of connection between gender depictions in children’s literature and gender perceptions and attitudes in young children. Utilizing an interview is important in this case since the data is primarily qualitative and unlikely to be the same for each individual. By carefully recording subject’s responses, this data may be more easily analyzed at a later time.
Collecting Data
To determine the gender depictions found in the predetermined books, the researcher and four research assistants will scrutinize each page illustration for the number of 1) only human males, 2) only human females, 3) human males and females, 4) only animal males, 5) only animal females, 6) animal males and females, and 7) neutral illustrations. In the instance that there are humans and animals present in an image, they will be coded as 1) only male humans and animals, 2) only female humans and animals, 3) male animals with female humans, 4) female animals with male humans, or 5) human and animal males and females. The images will further be analyzed by the number of depictions of 1) males doing traditionally male occupations/behaviors, 2) females doing traditionally female occupations/behaviors, 3) males doing traditionally female occupations/behaviors, 4) females doing traditionally male occupations/behaviors, 5) males doing gender neutral occupations/behaviors, and 6) females doing gender neutral occupations/behaviors. The coding sheets for this part of the data collecting are located in the appendix, page ii. Also included in the appendix is a list of traditionally defined male and female occupations/behaviors to guide coders in their analyses (page iv).
For each picture book, the answers from the five researchers will be tallied and compared for accuracy. These results will later be compared to answers from the interviews to determine if their readers are receiving the gender depictions in these books similarly. The images will then be categorized as either “traditional” or “gender neutral.” Ten images from each category will then be randomly selected using a random number table. Five images from each category will exhibit common gender stereotypes of occupation attitudes (“traditional-occupation”) and five images from each category will exhibit gender-neutral occupation images (“gender neutral-occupation”). Likewise, five images from each category will exhibit common gender behaviors (“traditional-behavior”) and five from each category will exhibit gender-neutral behavior images (“gender neutral-behavior”). This classification results in a total of 20 images for the child to view during the interview sessions.
The subject questionnaires will be conducted as an interview. Since the subjects are children, the subjects’ parents will be present but will be asked not to prompt their child in answering questions unless instructed to by the researcher. Consent forms and full disclosure to the parents will first be conducted to ensure that the parent understands the full scope of the research study. The interview will take place in a small playroom, with a children’s-size table and toys available for play prior to the interview, to put the child at greater ease. The research interviewer will be a woman, of pleasant disposition and pleasing appearance. During the interview, the subject will be asked to sit at the table with their parent on either side. The child will then be given an image, one at a time, and asked the appropriate questions. This part of the interview should not be rushed and conducted in a conversational fashion rather than a strict interview technique. These sessions should be video recorded for future reference.
Occupation attitudes will be measured by utilizing five questions for two sets of images. Five images from children’s literature will depict common gender stereotypes and five images from children’s literature depicting gender-neutral images. Subject’s will be asked their perceptions and recorded verbatim. These interview questions are located in the appendix on page vi.
Gender behavior attitudes will be measured with five questions for two sets of images. Five images will depict gender stereotypes and five images will depict gender neutrality. These questions are also located in the appendix on page vii. Children’s overall view of gender role perceptions in regards to occupation and behavior will be determined according to comparison of the subject’s answers to the predetermined classification of the images based on traditional gender views as dictated in society.
If the subject’s answers agree with the predetermined classifications by 60% or more, the researcher will classify the subject as exhibiting “traditional gender attitudes.” If the subjects do not agree with the predetermined classifications by at least 60%, the researcher will classify the subject as exhibiting “gender neutral attitudes.” Subject results will then be compiled and analyzed for reoccurring themes and patterns.
Method Impact
Using an interview questionnaire, this research study will collect qualitative data from its subjects. The data collection process will take a lengthy amount of time since the subjects may be unfamiliar with research studies and they may feel uncomfortable in this setting. Once each subject is categorized as exhibiting traditional or gender-neutral gender perceptions, the researcher may first compile the distribution into each group. Next, cross-case analysis by comparing specific themes found throughout the study must be conducted to obtain an accurate picture of gender perceptions in children today. This type of data analyses will influence the type of data the study will gather.
Interview questionnaires further influence the type of data analysis that a researcher may use. This research will be used to explain the relationship between gender depictions in children’s literature and gender role perceptions in children five to eight years old. As this type of research requires cross-case analysis, the analyses will be nomothetic, focusing on no more than a few causes. This will allow the researcher to make broad generalizations about what may be occurring within the population to children in this age group when they are introduced to only one type of children’s literature. Furthermore, interview questionnaire data will reflect only the beliefs of the participants and therefore cannot be generalized to their behaviors.
By first establishing the gender depictions in children’s literature and a child’s preconceived notions regarding such, one may then determine whether such a link exists. Establishing this link may alter future children’s literature should a connection be found. Using the methods and theory described in this paper, this research study strives to better understand the connection between gender perceptions and children’s literature, especially in regards to behavior and occupational roles.
REFERENCES
Anderson, D. A. and M. Hamilton. 2005. “Gender Role Stereotyping of Parents in Children’s Picture
Books: The Invisible Father” Sex Roles, 52:3/4.
Berk, L. (2002). Infants and Children: Prenatal Through Middle Childhood (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Defining gender. (2006). Retrieved October 1, 2006, from Inv/Gender-issues-in-mental-health.html.
Diekman, A. B. and S. K. Murnen. 2004. “Learning to Be Little Women and Little Men: The Inequitable
Gender Equality of Nonsexist Children’s Literature” Sex Roles, 50:5/6.
Gooden, A. and M. Gooden. 2001. “Gender representation in notable children’s picture books: 1995-
1999” Sex Roles, 45:1/2, 89-101.
Jackson, S. and S. Gee. 2005. “’Look Janet’, ‘No you look John’: constructions of gender in early school reader illustrations across 50 years” Gender and Education, 17:2, 115-128.
New York Public Library. (2006). Recommended reading: 100 picture books everyone should know. Retrieved
October 1, 2006, from .
Trepanier-Street, M. and J. A. Romatowski. 1999. “The Influence of Children’s Literature on Gender Role Perceptions: A Reexamination” Early Childhood Education Journal, 26:3, 155-158.
Wharton, S. 2005. “Invisible Females, Incapable Male: Gender Construction in a Children’s Reading Scheme” Language and Education, 19:3, 238-251.
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