The relationship between sex-role stereotyping and the mathematic achievement of academically-talented tenth grade females

• Main Author: Emerick, Janet L.
• Other Authors: Ballou, Philip E.
• Format: Others
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Mathematics > Study and teaching (Secondary); Women > Education.; Sex role.
• Online Access: http://cardinalscholar.bsu.edu/handle/handle/176066; http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/515489

The study examined the relationship between the sexrole stereotyping and the mathematic achievement of academicallytalented tenth grade females. The sample was drawn from two middle schools and one high school in the Lake Central School Corporation, St. John, Indiana. The sample included students in grades six and ten. The sixth grade sample was used forinstruments: the quantitative battery of the Houghton Mifflin Cognitive Abilities Test (CAT), the mathematics computation and mathematics concepts batteries of the CTB/McGraw-Hill Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills (CTBS), and the Maferr Inventories of Feminine and Masculine Values. There was not a significant decline in the quantitative achievement of scores of academically-talented tenth grade females as determined by achievement scores from the females' seventh, eighth and tenth grade CTBS test. There were no significant differences in the seventh, eighth and tenth grade quantitative achievement scores of academically-talented tenth grade females as compared to male peers. A weak negative correlation was found between the non-significant changes of the tenth comparative purposes only. There werethree data gathering grade females' CTBS score means for seventh, eighth and tenth grade and the females' inclination toward family orientation, self orientation or a balance between the two as perceived the way the females actually were and, then, perceived the way the females' ideal woman would respond. Additional analysis resulted in the following: 1) tenth grade females indicated that the ideal female would be inclined toward self orientation; 2) sixth grade females indicated that the ideal female would be inclined toward a balance between family orientation and self orientation; and 3) sixth grade females were inclined to be self oriented, while sixth grade males were inclined toward an even distribution among the three - family orientation, balanced and self orientation. Recommendations for further research included: choosing an achievement test that would provide more differentiation (an out-of-level test might be considered); conducting a longitudinal study, following the sample through five years of school; finding a better method of gathering sex-role stereotyping data; increasingthe sample size; and locating a more representative geographic location for the study.