Open AccessIf Not in Science, Then Where Are the Women? A Content Analysis of School Textbooks
Author(s) -
Aleksandra Gajda,
Agnieszka Wołowicz
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
education as change
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.395
H-Index - 14
eISSN - 1947-9417
pISSN - 1682-3206
DOI - 10.25159/1947-9417/8926
Subject(s) - femininity , content analysis , masculinity , content (measure theory) , psychology , representation (politics) , scientific literature , gender analysis , social psychology , gender studies , developmental psychology , sociology , social science , psychoanalysis , mathematics , mathematical analysis , paleontology , politics , political science , law , biology
This article analyses the representation of femininity in school textbooks in search of elements that discourage girls from taking up scientific educational paths. Quantitative content analysis and elements of the constant comparison method were used to examine the content of 75 Polish textbooks. Significant differences were identified in the number of male and female characters, their ages, financial resources, occupations, family roles and mental characteristics. Interestingly, the authors of the analysed textbooks are mostly women, which seems to indicate a manifestation of self-discrimination. These results indicate the existence of mechanisms discouraging females from a scientific career and are discussed in light of Hofstede’s masculinity-femininity theory.