ERIC Number: EJ1432251
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024-Jun
Pages: 25
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1381-2890
EISSN: EISSN-1573-1928
Available Date: N/A
How Are Gender Counter-Stereotypical Adolescents Evaluated by Their Peers? Investigating the Backlash Effect in French Schools
Ethan Meimoun; Virginie Bonnot; Julia Berenguer; Cristina Aelenei
Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, v27 n3 p833-857 2024
Research on the "backlash" effect has long studied the social sanctions that individuals impose on those who do not conform to stereotypical expectations. Specifically, research has focused on reactions to gender stereotype violations. Studies have shown that adults, adolescents, and even children will sanction others when they fail to conform to gender stereotypes. The present pre-registered research (https://tinyurl.com/4epypv3a) studied this gender "backlash" among adolescents in French middle and high-schools. For this study, we were also interested in exploring the moderating role of participants' socioeconomic status in their expression of "backlash." We created four profiles of adolescents presenting their candidacy for a school representative role. The profiles varied in the personality traits and behaviors they contained (stereotypically feminine vs. masculine) and the gender of the target (boy vs. girl). A sample of 840 participants between the ages of 13 and 18 rated the target adolescent on measures intended to capture "backlash," as well as gender stereotypicality items. Using multilevel models to analyze our data, we did not find evidence of "backlash" as hypothesized. However, unexpectedly, on a measure of perception of "arrogance," we found that participants judged a counter-stereotypical target more positively than a stereotypical target. Furthermore, we also found evidence that, compared to stereotypical targets, counter-stereotypical targets were judged more competent, mostly by high SES adolescents. Possible methodological and theoretical explanations for these results are discussed, as well as implications for future research on the "backlash" effect, particularly among adolescents.
Descriptors: Sex Stereotypes, Middle School Students, High School Students, Peer Relationship, Foreign Countries, Sex Role, Socioeconomic Status, Student Attitudes, Competence
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Secondary Education; High Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: France
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/bw8ep?view_only=d803ca9ec0df4c0cba3c94a7681b2521
Author Affiliations: N/A