Male stereotypes are barrier to university entrance

Citation

(2006), "Male stereotypes are barrier to university entrance", Education + Training, Vol. 48 No. 8/9. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2006.00448hab.004

Male stereotypes are barrier to university entrance

Stereotypical attitudes to being male could be an obstacle to men taking up university studies, finds new research from the Institute of Education. A team led by Dr Penny Jane Burke interviewed 38 mainly working-class men, aged 18 to 54, on courses preparing them for university study. The researchers found that the men feared that they would not be able to overcome their natural tendency to “ladishness” and what they saw as male laziness and lack of organization. Yet the men also had high aspirations and saw a degree as the key to gaining respectability and becoming “a real man”, finds the Economic and Social Research Council-funded study. This is defined as being the breadwinner, with a good income and a successful career, and having symbols of success including a wife, family, car and house.

The men came from a range of ethnic backgrounds. Although all were classed as “home” students, some had migrated to the UK from other countries and had suffered traumatic life experiences. Many were dependent on their families to support their time away from paid work. The men tended to doubt their own ability and value. They explained their past educational underachievement in terms of inborn laziness and saw this as the key obstacle to getting into, and doing well at, university. Although many were skilled and experienced – some came from professional backgrounds in their own countries – they were afraid they would not be able to write essays and were anxious that potential failure would expose them to ridicule and confirm their self-doubts. But they were also eager to achieve, meet the expectations of their family and ethnic communities and use education to improve themselves.

Dr Burke commented: “Emphasising supposed natural male abilities or deficiencies over the need to study, manage one’s time and develop skills not necessarily seen as men’s domain could deter many men from aiming for university. These men have high hopes but have to overcome their own and others’ assumptions that boys and men are naturally lazy and unable to be as organized as girls and women.”