A Review of Gender Stereotypes in Education

Abstract

Gender stereotype facilitates people categorize things and simplify everyday activities and cognitive processes, but the gender bias in society restricts the human development and fulfillment of the ideal. The terrain of gender stereotypes in education has witnessed much change in the twenty-first century. This paper provides a selective review of the literature on the empirical study and theoretical perspectives in educational performance and attainment from kindergarten to college over the recent decades. In addition, this paper remains a humble attempt at exploring the reasons behind gender inequalities in education at different levels: the development of gender identities, individual-level factors, and inequalities in attainment. Finally, the conclusion is discussed for stressing the negative influences that gender bias in the education field exerts on the youth, especially for females.