Work

Is Teaching a Women’s Thing? Gender Stereotypes in Students of Education Degrees

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Teaching is one of the scenarios in which gender segregation is most visible, finding a higher number of women in this profession. Thus, the choice of the future university degree seems to be closely related to gender stereotypes. Therefore, the aim of this study is to know whether students of Early Childhood and Primary Education have gender stereotypes related to their future profession. The total sample of the study is constituted by 433 students (323 women and 110 men). Gender-stereotype adjectives were presented to them, and they were asked to rate the importance they granted the adjectives in relation to their future career. Adjectives such as “compassionate”, “delicate”, and “artístic” were rated as much more important in females and in those who studied Early Childhood. Therefore, our results suggest that our sample perpetuates both the gender stereotypes and the representations that underlie teaching career.

Source: Psicologí a Educativa

DOI: 10.5093/psed2026a9

Authors: Victor Gonzalez-Lopez, Susana Gomez-Redondo, Borja Romero-Gonzalez, Alberto Soto-Sanchez

Institution: Universidad de Valladolid

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Sexuality, and Education

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Gender equality, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W7151233698