pcl@ihnp4.UUCP (Paul C. Lustgarten) (11/15/83)
Re: previous discussions in net.women on sexist language From the November, 1983 New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Review: EDUCATION DAILY--Students exposed to classroom materials that avoid sex stereotypes have more flexible attitudes about sex roles than their peers who use sexist materials, two psychologists reported at the American Psychological Association Convention. In a host of studies, both males and females ages 3 to 22 who were exposed to "sex equitable" materials had less stereotyped attitudes about occupations in general and about their own aspirations than did other students, according to educational psychologists Candace Garrett Schau of the University of New Mexico and Kathryn P. Scott of Florida State University. According to Schau and Scott, studies on the impact of sex characteristics of instructional materials also show that: o The language used affects students' association. When male generic language, such as "he" or "man", is used, students at all levels think of males. When the terms "they" or "people" are used, students are less likely to associate the reference with males. The most "balanced" associations come from using specific references such as "he or she" or "men and women". o Findings about sex bias and reading comprehension are inconclusive. In some cases, students remember much more about content presenting traditional sex roles than information displaying nontraditional traits. In other cases, students have better recall for sex role reversals. o Regardless of roles portrayed, students from preschool through high school prefer same-sex characters. -------------- Paul Lustgarten AT&T Bell Laboratories - Short Hills, NJ hlexa!pcl