Negotiating the complementarian gender ideology of an evangelical student subculture: further evidence from women's narratives

This study is based on a longitudinal, qualitative investigation of a burgeoning evangelical student organisation on a university campus in the USA. In addition to four months of observation, in‐depth interviews were conducted with students in their first and third years of college to understand the gender climate and ideology that characterised the organisation, as well as how students' gender ideologies were altered or reinforced after three years of exposure to the organisation. The findings from the initial study revealed that the evangelical student community was steeped in a complementarian gender ideology; that is, the culture embraced normative masculinity, essential gender differences, and separate roles and expectations for men and women with respect to leadership, modesty, and dating/marriage. A narrative analysis of the longitudinal interview data revealed the diverse ways in which four women negotiated the gender ideology of the evangelical organisation during their college years.     

Gender-specific effects of artificially induced gender beliefs in mental rotation

Men outperform women in the Mental Rotation Test (MRT) by about one standard deviation. The present study replicated a gender belief account [Moè, A., & Pazzaglia, F. (2006). Following the instructions! Effects of gender beliefs in mental rotation. Learning and Individual Differences, 16, 369–377.] for (part of) this effect. A sample of 300 adults, whose gender beliefs about mental rotation were manipulated experimentally (instructions given: men are better, women are better, or no gender differences exist) had to complete the MRT. Artificially induced gender beliefs affected performance and guessing behavior differently in relation to gender. Women's performance followed the gender belief induction but their guessing behavior remained unaffected. Men's performance, however, remained unaffected but their guessing behavior followed the gender belief induction. These findings suggest that gender beliefs affect men and women differently, and they also suggest that a gender belief account cannot (fully) explain gender differences in mental rotation performance.     

Reducing Pseudoscientific and Paranormal Beliefs in University Students Through a Course in Science and Critical Thinking

This study measured the relationship between student’s religion, gender, and propensity for fantasy thinking with the change in belief for paranormal and pseudoscientific subjects following a science and critical thinking course that directly confronted these subjects. Student pre-course endorsement of religious, paranormal, and pseudoscientific beliefs ranged from 21 to 53%, with religion having the highest endorsement rate. Pre-course belief in paranormal and pseudoscientific subjects was correlated with high scores in some fantasy thinking scales and showed a gender and a religion effect with females having an 11.1% higher belief across all paranormal and pseudoscience subcategories. Students’ religion, and frequency of religious service attendance, was also important with agnostic or atheist students having lower beliefs in paranormal and pseudoscience subjects compared to religious students. Students with either low religious service attendance or very high attendance had lower paranormal and pseudoscientific beliefs. Following the critical thinking course, overall beliefs in paranormal and pseudoscientific subcategories lowered 6.8–28.9%, except for superstition, which did not significantly change. Change in belief had both a gender and religion effect with greater reductions among religious students and females.     

Emergent Gender Roles Within Tween Popular Culture: Perspectives From Mexican American Students in a Fifth-Grade Classroom

This study examines fifth-grade Mexican American students’ beliefs about emergent gender roles. We used participant-observation methodology to conduct research on six focal-student participants selected from the general fifth-grade population at an elementary school located in the Southwestern United States. Collected data included focal-student interviews, classroom observations, and survey responses. We included an account of gender differences unique to students of Mexican descent. At school, students selected personal reading texts through their gender group norms. Although students claimed to have equitable views of various professions, they also revealed contradictory behavior about gender roles. Student influences included popular toys, media and literature targeted for young adolescent consumers. Further, teachers at the school remained unaware and mostly unconcerned about students’ emerging gender beliefs. Results indicate how students inscribed gender norms learned from home cultural practices. This study should be of interest to teachers concerned about critical literacy classroom applications which can raise awareness about the complexity of tween popular culture and emergent gender beliefs.     

Through a gender lens: explaining North‐Eastern Thai women’s participation in adult literacy education

This ethnographic study employs a gender perspective to understand the motivations of eight women literacy learners participating in a village‐based functional literacy programme in rural North‐eastern Thailand. Field research took place over six months of periodic residence in a North‐eastern Thai village, and involved participant observation, individual interviews and informal focus groups. An analysis of the women’s reproductive, productive and community roles, and their practical and strategic gender needs (Moser ) is used to frame findings on the women’s participation in the literacy programme. In brief, although the women valued educational programmes that reduced the burden of their reproductive labour, offered income‐generating opportunities in their productive roles and supported their leadership roles in the community, the village literacy programme had limited effect in addressing these practical gender needs. However, because a patriarchal ideology and Buddhist institutions had denied the women access to schooling as children, they now saw the literacy programme as both a symbolic return to school and a collective women’s space to advocate for more desirable adult educational programmes. In these ways, the programme addressed their strategic gender needs. The study argues that a gender lens is critical in explaining women’s participation in literacy programmes and in designing literacy education for development.     

大学生信教与思想政治教育工作的对策

当前,在全球化、信息化的新形势下,宗教问题成为高校思想政治工作者值得注意的动向。笔者认为,针对大学生信教的现状,我们需要做好以下几个方面的工作:一是客观认识宗教,正确对待宗教信仰;二是活跃校园氛围,塑造健康心灵;三是构建安全体系,抵制宗教渗透等。     

大学生宗教信仰问题与高校思政教育研究

当前,宗教以不同的方式渗透到大学校园,致使部分大学生盲目信仰,大学生宗教信仰问题越来越受到社会各界的普遍关注。要利用宗教中的某些积极因素,改进高校思想政治教育工作,为此提出了加强思政教育工作的几点建议,以促使大学生形成马克思主义宗教观。     

Psychologists' beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse: the influence of sexual abuse history, gender, and theoretical orientation.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the influence of sexual abuse history, gender, theoretical orientation, and age on beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse among clinical and counseling psychologists. METHOD: A mail survey design was used in this study. Participants were randomly selected from the American Psychological Association membership database. There were 615 psychologists who completed self-report measures on beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Overall, clinicians' scores on the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse were moderate. There were significant gender differences on beliefs, suggesting that women were more likely believe that childhood sexual abuse is a common occurrence compared to men. Multiple regression analysis indicated that clinician characteristics (history of sexual abuse, gender, and theoretical orientation) were significantly related to beliefs about the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. However, these characteristics only accounted for a small amount of the overall variance predicting beliefs. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that clinicians do not hold extreme beliefs regarding the prevalence of childhood sexual abuse. Moreover, certain clinician characteristics are associated with their beliefs, which in turn, may impact their clinical judgment and treatment decisions. Furthermore, much of the variance was unaccounted for in the model indicating that psychologists' beliefs are complex and are not unduly influenced by their personal characteristics. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.     

泉州地区女性民间宗教信仰问题探究

当前泉州宗教信仰多而杂,其中,民间宗教信仰活动尤为兴盛。在众多的信徒中,女性占据了重要地位。本文在介绍当地女性参与民间宗教信仰的概况及其原因的基础上,重点从观念更新、政府加强引导、女性自身提升等方面阐述了泉州女性民间宗教信仰问题带给我们的启示。     

Reimagining the historically Black college and university (HBCU) environment: exposing race secrets and the binding chains of respectability and othermothering

Abstract

This article investigates how the intersections of gender, race, policy, and student differences at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) can impact student experience. Such an environment can displace and penalize those who do not adhere to the uniformity of heteronormative gender roles or respectability politics. Using intersecting themes that have emerged from press coverage of HBCUs as a departure, this article illustrates the ways Black respectability and conservatism are maintained through campus policy and creates an exclusionary environment for students on the margins. Through the conceptual lenses of respectability and othermothering we deconstruct this environment and opine that HBCUs, in these specific cases, stand in opposition to their founding mission of inclusion by perpetuating heteronormativity, stringent gender roles, and reinforce White supremacy. Ultimately, we call for HBCUs to reimagine the capability of campus environments to embrace variations of Blackness and disrupt marginalizing practices rooted in politics of respectability.     

Beliefs and gender differences: A new model for research in mathematics education

The major focus of this study is to propose a new research model, namely the Modified CGI gender model, for the study of gender differences in mathematics. This model is developed based on Fennema, Carpenter, and Peterson’s (1989) CGI model. To examine the validity of this new model, this study also examines the gender differences in teacher and student beliefs about mathematics and compares gender differences between teacher and student beliefs about the importance and difficulty of certain mathematics topics. Using the British Columbia Mathematics Assessment data, the study conducted a series of ANOVA. The findings of this study indicate that the new model appears to be a useful tool to describe gender differences in mathematics and to guide research in this area. The conclusions drawn from the data analysis show that male and female teachers differed significantly in their beliefs about Numbers and Operations. Male teachers perceived this topic to be more important than female teachers. Second, gender differences have been largely found in student beliefs about the difficulty of the selected topics. Finally, gender differences found in teacher beliefs are similar to the gender differences in student beliefs about the importance and difficulty of mathematics topics.     

‘We are equals’; datum or delusion: perceptions of Muslim women academics in three Malaysian universities

Islam underlines equality between women and men regarding their spiritual and intellectual potential. However, given interpretations of religious texts are often availed to suppress women in most Muslim societies, with serious implications for gender equality in the domestic and the professional spheres. This article draws on data from a study of Muslim women academics from three Malaysian universities to highlight the impact of dominant discourses on these women’s professional lives and their perceptions of gender equality, and discusses its implications for their professional journeys. The article argues that the feudal patriarchal structures of most Muslim societies, reinforced by vested interpretations of religious texts, validate a powerful discourse of male authority which contributes to the perception that submitting to male authority is a Muslim woman’s religious obligation. The seductive power of these discourses couched in religious authority influences the terms of their professional engagement and their conceptualisations and understanding of gender equality.     

‘When I meet them I talk to them’: the challenges of diversity for preservice teacher education

The homogeneity that once represented Irish society will soon be represented only in the annals of history. The influx of people of diverse nationalities, together with the increasing presence of children with physical and intellectual disabilities, and children coming from a range of non-traditional backgrounds will make our classrooms increasingly diverse over time. Together with the great opportunities that this diversity presents come a number of challenges. A major challenge lies in the preparation of our future teachers to meet the needs of and provide equitable learning opportunities for children in our classrooms. This study examines preservice teachers’ exposure to and beliefs about diversity. Two instruments were administered to 286 preservice teachers (the Prior Experiences Related to Diversity, and the Personal and Professional Beliefs about Diversity Scale). The findings indicate that preservice teachers’ exposure to diversity is very limited, in particular their exposure to members of the Travelling community, and refugees and asylum-seekers. High levels of tolerance and support were expressed toward religious, cultural, sexual and language diversity. Most evident was limited understanding of the roles played by gender in contributing to inequity in society and the importance of gender equitable practices in educational contexts. Another finding of concern was the contrasting ways in which ethnic disparities in academic achievement were attributed, with members of the Travelling community being viewed less positively than those from other ethnic groups.     

Theorizing Gender for Community College Research and Practice

Feminist theory uses gender as a lens to evaluate society's institutions and power hierarchies. Gender evolves as a social construction rather than an essential difference between the sexes, and it supports the so-called “hegemony of dominant men” in society. Socialization by gender enables discrimination in gender roles and occupations, and its main tool of segregation is a major strategy used by employers and other decision makers to engage effectively in discrimination. The extent to which the principle of gender organizes selection of field of study by students and faculty, and other facets of the community college campus, provides for a number of ongoing research questions.     

Religion as a Support Factor for Women of Color Pursuing Science Degrees: Implications for Science Teacher Educators

This study explores the influence of religion as a support factor for a group of Latina and African-American women majoring in science. The current project is a part of a larger study that investigated persistence factors of underrepresented woman who were enrolled as science majors at United States colleges and universities. This paper focuses on one theme that emerged among six participants who disclosed how religion was a significant influence on their persistence in science fields. The strength and support offered by religious values is certainly not specific to science content; however, the support received from their beliefs highlights a potential area for further exploration. Given the importance of increasing participation by students from diverse backgrounds into science fields, it is critical to recognize how some of these differences may be the key factors influencing the way these students look at the world. This study offers evidence that science educators need to consider what role religious beliefs have for students who may be considering science or science education as a future career, particularly for those students from underrepresented groups.     

Parental Perceptions of the Use of Internal Sources of Information About Children's Development

This exploratory study examined parental perceptions of the information sources parents use when wanting or needing information about their three-year-old child's motor, social, and cognitive development. Specifically, this study compared parental perceptions of the use of internal information sources (i.e., parents' own intuitions about development, religious beliefs/teachings, and childhood experiences) to perceptions of the use of external information sources (i.e., books, magazines, counselors, etc.). Further, this study examined differences in parental perceptions of use of internal information sources by parent and child gender, and by developmental domain (i.e., information about a child's motor, social, and cognitive development). Sixty mothers and 60 fathers of a three-year-old child completed an information use structured interview. Findings revealed that almost half of the parents reported referring to their own intuitions, religious beliefs/teachings, and/or childhood experiences as sources of information about their child's development. Parents perceived the internal information sources as being used significantly more frequently and as significantly more useful for information about their child's social development than for information about their child's motor and cognitive development.     

Following the instructions!: Effects of gender beliefs in mental rotation

Research has widely demonstrated male superiority in the Mental Rotation Test (MRT). Various explanations have been put forward to account for these differences. We considered gender beliefs and argued that women may fare less well than men partly because they are considered unable to perform this kind of task. Beliefs about spatial ability were experimentally manipulated in samples of 107 female and of 90 male high-school students, divided into three groups, following the instructions: men are better, women are better, general (with no gender reference). Our data show that women who expect to be more able than men and men who expect to be more able than women outperformed their counterparts. MRT performance fell for those expecting to be less able. The effects of induced beliefs on cognitive performance are stressed, particularly in the educational context.     

Comments on Holmes

Certain basic moral propositions are unlike basic religious propositions in that it is incoherent to deny them. A community needs a shared set of moral beliefs in a way that it does not need a shared set of religious beliefs. The cultivation of certain types of behaviour is necessary in a community. For these three reasons, bringing up children to adhere to certain basic moral principles is justified in a way that bringing them up to accept basic religious tenets is not.Simon Fraser University     

School education and development of gender perspectives and sexuality in Japan

This study aimed to evaluate changes in the attitudes of Japan’s post-war youth towards gender equality and sexuality, and to examine whether these attitudes bore a relationship to school education. Different generations were delineated based on changes in courses of study and year of birth, and semi-structured interviews were conducted enquiring about experiences and opinions during secondary school days. We examined sexuality education in both junior high school (ages 12–15 years) and high school (15–18 years), views on premarital sex, views on marriage and divorce, and views on gender roles. Fifty-three survey participants were involved in the study: 30 women and 23 men. The characteristics of each generation were examined in relation to corresponding courses of study and the textbooks available in junior high and high schools, identifying both homologies and differences between the messages courses contained and the expressed beliefs of different generations of informants.     

Individual differences in gender role beliefs influence spatial ability test performance

The gender role hypothesis posits that performance on a cognitive ability test is influenced by whether the test instructions frame the test as measuring a skill that is consistent or inconsistent with the test taker's gender role beliefs. The Bem sex role inventory was used to measure the gender role of female college students, and the group embedded figures test (GEFT) was used to measure their spatial ability. Masculine gender role women scored significantly higher on the GEFT when the test was described as measuring spatial ability, whereas feminine gender role women scored significantly higher when the test was described as measuring empathy. In a second experiment, men did not show the same effects. Implications of individual differences in gender role beliefs are discussed.