Mathematics motivation and gender stereotypes of junior and senior high school girls

Abstract

Effects of benevolent sexism on mathematics motivation were investigated in the present study. The participants in the research were junior high school (Study 1) and senior high school girls (Study 2) in Japan. The girls read 1 of 2 scenarios, one in which a teacher was described as praising them for high performance in a math exam by saying "Good job" (control condition), or one in which the teacher continues, "even though you're a girl" (benevolent sexism condition). After reading the scenario, the girls described their emotions and math motivation. The girls in the benevolent sexism condition reported lower math motivation, lower positive emotions, and higher negative emotions than the girls in the control condition did. Those results were replicated in Study 2, which also revealed that the girls' lower math motivation was partly mediated by higher self-oriented negative emotions (e.g., shame). Although perceived prejudice evoked other-oriented negative emotions (e.g., anger), these negative emotions did not significantly influence the participants' math motivation. Negative effects of benevolent sexism on women's and girls' academic and career motivation were discussed.