How stereotypes affect grading and tutorial feedback: Shifting evaluations or shifting standards?

Aktivität: Vorträge und GastvorlesungenKonferenzvorträgeForschung

Carolin Schuster - Sprecher*in

Susanne Narciss - Sprecher*in

    The present line of studies examines gender bias in test grades and in tutorial feedback. Much previous experimental work has proposed that females will be evaluated according to negative stereotypes, often showing that essays in male domains are evaluated worse if the author is female, rather than male (e.g. Hofer, 2015; Stern, 1984; Swim et al. 1989). In contrast, the shifting-standards hypothesis proposes that in male domains lower standards are applied for the evaluation of women, resulting in similar or better evaluations of women’s performance on subjective criteria (e.g., Biernat et al., 1998). The present work examines these contradicting hypotheses, and for the first time explores if there is gender bias in tutorial feedback. In addition, we examine whether there is also bias in a stereotypically female domain (German). In three 2(math/German) x 2(boy/girl) experiments, pre-service teachers corrected one (Study 1: N = 209, and Study 3: N = 127) or four (Study 2: N = 135) math or German tests, which were allegedly either by male or female third-graders. They also gave the student written feedback. In addition, participants’ stereotype endorsement was measured. A meta-analysis of the three studies showed that the gender bias was moderated by domain and stereotype endorsement. Participants who endorsed stereotypes, but not those who did not, graded girls in German worse than boys and boys in math worse than girls, pointing to shifting standards rather than grading according to stereotypes. With regard to feedback, Study 1 showed a significant and medium-sized Gender x Domain interaction, such that girls in German and boys in Math received less feedback. However, this pattern was not replicated in the follow-up studies. The results are discussed in the context of the existing literature with regard to underlying processes and practical implications.
    18.09.2018

    Veranstaltung

    51. Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Psychologie - DGPS 2018

    15.09.1820.09.18

    Frankfurt am Main, Hessen, Deutschland

    Veranstaltung: Konferenz