‘What on Earth are They Doing in a Racing Car?’: Towards an Understanding of Women in Motorsport

Abstract

Motorsport is an under-researched area of socio-historical study. There is particularly limited academic understanding of female involvement in the social world of motorsports. Therefore, this paper focuses on the role of the media in presenting and establishing motorsport for women. In particular, a documentary analysis of articles published by a UK national newspaper group from 1890, and a case study of an all-female UK-based motor-racing championship are used to account for gendered processes that have influenced attitudes and behaviours towards women motor racers. The motor car emerged through technological progress in an overtly masculine-dominated industrial period. Traditional assumptions and biologically deterministic attitudes towards women were used by men to position motoring and motor-racing as a male preserve. Newspaper reporting throughout the 1930s suggests an era of heightened success for women motor racers as a result of gaining access to a key resource in the form of Brooklands motor-racing circuit. Following the Second World War, there was increasing commercialization and professionalization of male-dominated motorsport, as well as renewed marginalization and trivialization of female participants within the newspapers. These processes continue to influence perceptions of women in contemporary motorsport.     

Sex Differences in Spatial Competence: the ability of young children to map ‘primed’ unfamiliar environments

Abstract This paper reports on a study set up to investigate the effects of gender related differences in home range behaviour on the acquision of spatial and environmental skills amongst a group of children aged 8 to 11. The population was divided to form two groups (A and B) of similar sex composition and environmental experience. The children were informed that the aim of the project was to construct a map of an unfamiliar area which they were to visit. The two groups were ‘primed’ about their task in different ways, with children in Group B undertaking a slightly more complex exercise. The results show that whilst ‘priming’ has the effect of reducing disjunction between the spatial capabilities of boys and girls on simpler tasks, when the exercise is complicated boys do much better than girls in all but one of the spatial assessments. Such evidence lends further support to those who argue that the more extensive movements of boys through the environment leads to superior spatial ability. The educational implications of the results are considered.     

Patterns of Social Interaction of Mainstreamed Preschool Children: Hopeful News from the Field

Much of the research on social interaction in mainstreamed settings has focused on “reverse mainstreamed” or special environments in contrast, the present study observed 600 social interactions in 19 regular preschools. Three findings emerged: a) retarded children are substantially integrated into the emotional and social life of the peer group, but not fully integrated into peer group verbal life; b) there is an inverse relationship between teachers’ initiation of social interaction with retarded children and the degree to which the latter are integrated into peer group life; and c) teachers provide retarded children with more verbal enrichment and emotional protection than these children receive from their peer group. On balance, these findings are fairly encouraging, suggesting that to a considerable extent mainstreaming is working in preschool classrooms.     

A systematic follow‐up approach for mainstreaming students with behavior and emotional disorders

The Behavior Intervention Centres are part of the Houston Independent School District's (HISD) Special Education Department. Their purpose is to provide educational services to elementary and secondary students, aged 3 through 21, who exhibit either severely aggressive or severely withdrawn behaviours. This article describes a formalized follow‐up service considered by the authors to be a critical component of the BIC program.     

One-to-One Computing and Student Achievement in Ohio High Schools

This study explores the impact of one-to-one computing on student achievement in Ohio high schools as measured by performance on the Ohio Graduation Test (OGT). The sample included 24 treatment schools that were individually paired with a similar control school. An interrupted time series methodology was deployed to examine OGT data over a period of 5 to 8 years. Overall student performance and content-specific achievement in math, reading, science, social studies, and writing were not significantly affected by the introduction of 1:1 computing. Treatment schools using a netbook device produced the greatest overall change in scores.     

Behavior problems of children as perceived by teachers,mental health professionals,and children

The objective of this study was to examine current teacher and mental health professional ratings regarding the relative seriousness of 50 specific children's behavior problems and to compare the results to those found by Wickman (1928). Wickman's questionnaire and procedures were replicated to insure comparability. A second objective was to extend Wickman's work so that children's ratings of their own behavior problems may be ascertained. An increase in the similarity between teachers' and mental health professionals' judgements concerning the seriousness of specific children's behavior problems was found. These findings were attributable to a more pragmatic approach taken by mental health professionals. A very high agreement on the seriousness of specific behavior problem ratings was demonstrated by children and teachers. This similarity may be the result of proximity of effects.