Perceptions of Gender in Classrooms and Associated Expectations of Belonging

Abstract

The built environment communicates value and belief structures to users. Research on gendered messaging in designed classroom spaces has shown its impact on students; thus, we sought to determine how classroom designs can have different gendered perceptions between those who use the space and those working in the design industry. In two studies, we collected survey data from undergraduates (n = 97), and then employees at design firms (n = 88) reacting to masculine versus feminine design patterns in classroom renders. The two groups exhibited strong, opposite correlations between their perceptions of femininity and sense of belonging, plus differences within the femininity scale itself. These findings show the importance of closer examinations of masculinity and femininity as gender constructs, and the need to further study how perceptions of designers differ from the perceptions of users.