When Do Gender Stereotypes Develop in Children?
What science says about when and why children start believing boys are smarter than girls
A 2017 study published in the prestigious journal Science, which aligns with other findings in the field, examined how stereotypes about intelligence develop in young children in the United States. Specifically, the researchers explored the belief that boys are more likely to be geniuses (or “really, really smart”) compared to girls. To provide a point of comparison, they also investigated the “girls are nicer than boys” stereotype.
The researchers conducted four separate studies with children aged 5 to 7 to understand children’s beliefs about intelligence.
What they found:
In the first experiment, 5-year-old boys and girls equally associated both brilliance and niceness with their own gender.
However, by ages 6 and 7, girls were significantly less likely than boys to associate being “really, really smart” with their own gender. Boys, meanwhile, continued to link brilliance to their own gender as much as they did at age 5. Similarly, niceness began to be associated more strongly with girls starting at age 6.
These findings were replicated in the second experiment, which also examined whether perceptions of academic success influenced stereotypes about brilliance. At all ages, girls associated academic success with their own gender as strongly as boys did at age 5 and later. In fact, older girls were more likely than boys to link academic success to their own gender. This reflects a realistic perception of school success, as girls generally perform better in school than boys. Yet, despite this, brilliance was still perceived as a boys’ trait.
In the third and fourth experiments, researchers found that girls aged 6-7 were less interested than boys in games described as being for “really, really smart kids.” This difference was not observed at age 5. Conversely, when games were presented as being for “kids who work really, really hard,” there were no differences in interest between boys and girls.
A meta-analysis of studies examining children’s drawings of scientists also revealed an age-related effect: as children aged from 6 to 16, girls increasingly drew male scientists instead of female ones. At age 6, 70% of girls drew a female scientist, and 83% of boys drew a male scientist. By age 16, 75% of girls were drawing male scientists, and 98% of boys continued to draw male scientists.
These studies imply that gender stereotypes can take root at an early age in children, shaping their perceptions of their own gender and potentially influencing their interests. If girls distance themselves from activities labeled as for “really smart kids” or associate certain professions with boys and feel those fields are not for them, they may steer away from these areas, which could impact their career paths.
In light of these findings, it is crucial for us as parents, educators, and as a society to be mindful of our influence on the development of gender stereotypes in children. We should strive to nurture the potential and sense of capability of every child, regardless of gender.
Frequently Asked Questions
At what age do children develop gender stereotypes about intelligence?
Research published in the journal Science shows that gender stereotypes about brilliance emerge around age 6. At age 5, both boys and girls equally associate intelligence with their own gender.
Do gender stereotypes affect girls’ career interests?
Some evidence suggests the answer is yes. Studies show that by ages 6–7, girls are less interested than boys in activities labeled as being for “really, really smart kids”. Similarly, at age 6, 70% of girls drew a female scientist, and 83% of boys drew a male scientist. However, by age 16, 75% of girls were drawing male scientists, and 98% of boys continued to draw male scientists.
What can parents and educators do to counter gender stereotypes in children?
Since gender stereotypes about intelligence emerge as early as age 6, early intervention matters. Parents and educators can use gender-neutral language when praising children, present role models of women in STEM, and avoid framing intelligence as an innate trait tied to gender.