Changing (S)expectations: How gender fair job descriptions impact children's perceptions and interest regarding traditionally male occupations

Children's occupational interests and their perceptions of the divergent occupational successes of women and men reflect cultural gender norms. Since language is a vehicle for transporting gender cues and gender norms, we tested the premise that children's perceptions of stereotypically male jobs can be influenced by the linguistic form used to present an occupational title. Three experiments with 809 primary school students suggest that occupations presented in pair form (e.g., Ingenieurinnen und Ingenieure, female and male engineers), compared to descriptions using the generic masculine form (e.g., Ingenieure), generally increase the mental accessibility of female jobholders, promote more gender-balanced perceptions of the success of males and females, and strengthen girls' interest in stereotypically male occupations.

► Already primary school children are sensitive to gender-fair language. ► Pair forms (compared to generic masculine forms) make females more accessible. ► Pair forms promote gender-balanced perceptions of successful workers in “male jobs”. ► Girls are more interested in “male jobs” when described in pair forms. ► The later effect is mediated by girls' considering female success more likely.