scholarly journals Gender Differences Concerning Physical Activity Beliefs and Practices among Fourth and Fifth Graders in Rural Virginia

2021 ◽  
pp. 57-68
Author(s):  
Tenesha M. McDuffie ◽  
Mikaela A. Brooks ◽  
Emily DeVilliers ◽  
Ashley N. Kelleran ◽  
Anna K. Leal
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Aerobic Capacity ◽  
Muscular Strength ◽  
Fifth Graders ◽  
The United States ◽  
Beliefs And Practices ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Self Confidence

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Physical activity (PA) is a known preventative factor. It is recommended that children participate in 60 minutes of PA daily, but most do not meet these guidelines. Further, boys, aged 8-17 years, spend more time in PA than girls of the same age. The purposes of this study were to identify gender differences in PA beliefs and practices among fourth and fifth graders and to determine when gender disparities in self-confidence regarding PA and fitness occur.  Subjects were 41 fourth (19 boys; 22 girls) and 33 fifth (16 boys; 17 girls) graders in a public elementary school in the rural northwest. They participated in the FitnessGram, a nationwide assessment of flexibility, aerobic capacity, and muscular strength and endurance, and a proctored survey about their PA beliefs, self-confidence, and participation. There were no differences in FitnessGram data between boys and girls for aerobic capacity or muscular strength and endurance, but girls had increased flexibility when compared to boys in both grades. Importantly, survey results showed fifth grade girls had less confidence they could improve their physical fitness (p = 0.002) or their overall health (p = 0.004) when compared to fourth grade girls. Research is needed to determine how these changes in self-confidence contribute to the gender gap in time spent in PA. We recommend physical education programs throughout all grades teach healthy behaviors, including time spent in PA, and work to build and maintain self-confidence in girls.

Men, Women and the Dynamics of Presidential Approval

2004 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAROLD D. CLARKE ◽  
MARIANNE C. STEWART ◽  
MIKE AULT ◽  
EUEL ELLIOTT
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Evaluation Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Economic Evaluations ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Presidential Approval ◽  
Presidential Transitions ◽  
Economic Evaluation Model ◽  
The Impact

Although commentary on the ‘gender gap’ is a staple of political discourse in the United States, most analyses of the dynamics of presidential approval have ignored possible gender differences in the forces driving approval ratings of US presidents. This article analyses gender differences in the impact of economic evaluations and political interventions on the dynamics of presidential approval between 1978 and 1997. The analyses are made possible by disaggregating 240 monthly Survey of Consumers datasets gathered over this period. These data show that women's economic evaluations are consistently more pessimistic than men's, regardless of who occupied the Oval Office. Analyses of rival presidential approval models reveal that a national prospective economic evaluation model performs best for women, but a personal prospective model works best for men. Parameter estimates indicate that economic evaluations accounted for substantial proportions of gender differences in presidential approval in the post-Carter era. Men and women also reacted differently to presidential transitions, with approval increasing more among men when Reagan replaced Carter, and more among women when Clinton replaced Bush. The hypothesis that men are more susceptible than women to rally effects induced by domestic and international crises and wars does not receive consistent support.

scholarly journals Gender Differences in Information Technology Usage: A U.S.-Japan Comparison

2005 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 105-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ono ◽  
Madeline ZavodnY
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Information Technology ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
Working Women ◽  
The United States ◽  
Internet Usage ◽  
It Use ◽  
Nonstandard Employment

This study examines whether there are differences in men's and women's use of computers and the Internet in the United States and Japan and, if so, how this gender gap has changed over time. We focus on these two countries because information technology is widely used in both, but there are substantial differences in institutions and social organizations. We use microdata from several surveys during 1997–2001 to examine differences and trends in computer and Internet usage in the two countries. Controlling for socioeconomic characteristics, our results indicate that there were significant gender differences in computer and Internet usage in both countries during the mid-1990s. By 2001 these gender differences had disappeared or were even reversed in the United States but persisted in Japan. People not currently working have lower levels of information technology (IT) use and skills in both countries regardless of gender, but working women in Japan have lower levels of IT use and skills than working men, a difference that generally does not occur in the United States. This suggests that employment status per se does not play a large role in the gender gap in Japan, but type of employment does. The prevalence of nonstandard employment among female workers in Japan can explain much of the gender gap in information technology use and skills in that country.

scholarly journals Gender Gap in US Public Opinion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary-Kate Lizotte
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Public Opinion ◽  
Political Science ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Party Identification ◽  
The United States ◽  
Equal Rights ◽  
Policy Positions ◽  
Political Consequences ◽  
Science Article

In a representative democracy, policymakers, elected officials, and bureaucrats should heed public opinion. Research to date provides evidence that policymakers do care about the public’s positions on policy and that presidential administrations often seek public approval of their legislative agenda (see the Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science article, “Policy Responsiveness to Public Opinion” by Robert S. Erikson. Therefore, it is valuable to understand consistent and significant influences on the public’s policy positions and political attitudes. Gender appears to be a consistent and often significant influence on opinion. Generally, women tend to be more likely than men to adopt liberal positions on a long list of policies, including force issues, the size of the welfare state, the environment, and equal rights. For certain issues, gender seems to have a more complicated, or more conservative, influence, such as on abortion and on the legalization of marijuana. Overall, gender matters when considering public opinion in the United States. Moreover, issue gaps partially account for the gender gap in party identification and vote choice where women are more likely than men to identify as Democrats and vote for Democratic candidates. For example, in electoral simulations when women are given the same policy positions as men, a considerable reduction in the voting gender gap occurs. Readers interested in how gender influences political behavior should consult the Oxford Bibliographies in Political Science article, “Gender, Behavior, and Representation” by Elisabeth Gidengil. With women being slightly more than half of the population and being more likely to vote than men in recent elections, gender differences in policy preferences have substantial political consequences. This article discusses research on several issue areas with established gender gaps in opinion and provides a brief overview of scholarship investigating the origins of gender differences in public opinion. Much of the research cited here focuses on gender differences in public opinion but some material controls only for gender and finds a significant relationship.

Gender Differences in IT Use in the U.S. and Japan

2008 ◽  
pp. 3174-3202
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ono ◽  
Madeline Zavodny
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
The United States ◽  
It Use ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Actual Usage ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

As information technology (IT) has become more common in everyday use, so too have concerns about the digital divide—unequal access to and use of IT across demographic groups and countries. Understanding the extent and causes of the digital divide is important because IT skills have become increasingly vital to individuals’ economic success. Although IT is widely available in both the United States and Japan, there are notable gender differences in its actual usage between the two countries. In the United States, the gender gap in IT use has narrowed over time, and according to some measures, women are at least as likely as men to use computers. In Japan, however, sizable gender gaps in IT use persist. The contrasting patterns of IT use in the United States and Japan reflect differences in the structure of social organizations and institutions in the two countries. Studying gender differences in IT use across countries thus requires a nuanced understanding of the institutional context under which gender inequality is generated. Using the United States and Japan as contrasting examples, this article examines how gender differences in IT use evolve from gender inequality in broader cultural settings, particularly labor market institutions.

scholarly journals Investigation Into the Relationship Between Adolescents’ Perceived and Actual Fundamental Movement Skills and Physical Activity

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (s2) ◽  
pp. S424-S439 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronagh McGrane ◽  
Danielle Powell ◽  
Sarahjane Belton ◽  
Johann Issartel
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Motor Development ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Object Control ◽  
Gross Motor Development ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Fundamental Movement Skills ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Confidence Scale

Objectives: To explore the relationship between fundamental movement skill (FMS) competence, perceived FMS competence, and physical activity (PA) in adolescents. Methods: The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD), the TGMD 2nd Edition (TGMD-2), and the Victorian Skills manual were used to assess FMS competence (locomotor, object control, and stability). The Physical Self Confidence scale was used to assess perceived FMS competence (locomotor, object control, and stability). Moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (MVPA) was measured via accelerometry. Multi-level modelling analyses was used to examine (i) actual FMS as the predictor and perceived FMS as the outcome, (ii) perceived FMS as the predictor and MVPA as the outcome, and (iii) actual FMS as the predictor and MVPA as the outcome. All analyses were completed for each subtest of FMS (locomotor, object control, and stability). Results: A total of 584 adolescents (boys n = 278) aged 12.82–15.25 years (M = 13.78, SD = .42) participated in this study. Actual stability was associated with perceived stability (p < .01) and MVPA (p < .05) in boys. This was not found true for girls; however, actual locomotor skills were associated with MVPA (p ≤ .05). Boys scored significantly higher than girls for FMS proficiency, perceived FMS, and MVPA (p < .05). Discussion: Gender differences may exist due to cultural gender differences in sport participation norms. Considering the magnitude of physical and psychological changes occurring during adolescence, it is recommended to track young people over time to better understand the relationship between perceived and actual FMS, as well as PA participation.

Gender and Local Political Interest: Some International Comparisons

1993 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette C. Hayes ◽  
Clive S. Bean
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Great Britain ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Voter Turnout ◽  
International Comparisons ◽  
Science Research ◽  
The United States ◽  
West Germany ◽  
Political Interest

Since the 1970s, political science research suggests no significant gender differences in overall levels of participation. For example, an examination of current rates of conventional political participation and voter turnout indicates little difference between men and women in either the United States, Great Britain, West Germany, Italy or other western industrial nations.1 Despite this disappearance of gender differences in political participation, however, both national and international research suggests an enduring gender gap in political interest. Regardless of country of origin, women remain less politically interested than men.2

Gender differences in faculty rank and subspecialty choice in academic medical oncology.

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (15_suppl) ◽  
pp. 11013-11013
Author(s):  
Laura Graham ◽  
Ali Raza Khaki ◽  
Alexandra Sokolova ◽  
Nancy E. Davidson
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Medical Oncology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Full Professor ◽  
Academic Rank ◽  
Faculty Rank ◽  
Cancer Centers ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Medical Oncologists

11013 Background: The gender gap in the United States healthcare field has been closing. In 2000 women made up 45% of medical school matriculants and by 2017 outnumbered men. Based on our personal observations at academic meetings, however, we hypothesized that gender differences persist in faculty rank and subspecialty choice in academic medical oncology. Methods: We created a database of medical oncologists at the top 15 cancer centers as ranked by the U.S News and World Report in 2019. We identified all medical oncology faculty in the subspecialty fields of breast, gastrointestinal (GI), genitourinary (GU) and thoracic oncology from institution websites (12/2019-1/2020). Faculty working only at satellite clinics (i.e. non-research appointments), and the few faculty in more than one subspecialty group, were excluded. Gender (determined by pictures), subspecialty and academic rank were recorded based on data from institution websites and professional social networking sites. Proportions of men and women in each subspecialty and at each faculty rank were calculated; odds ratios (OR) and χ2 tests were used for comparisons. Results: 346 men and 244 women were identified as subspecialty medical oncologists, comprising 59% and 41% of faculty members, respectively. Gender representation by subspecialty and academic rank are shown in the Table. Breast oncology had more women oncologists than men (OR 2.9, p < 0.001); GU oncology had fewer women (OR 0.3, p < 0.001). The representation of women and men was comparable at the lower academic ranks (instructor, assistant and associate professors). But at the top rank of full professor, only 31% were women (OR 0.54, p = 0.001). Notably, even in breast oncology, the one subspecialty with a greater proportion of women, women still comprised a lower proportion of full professors than men. Conclusions: Gender differences persist in academic medical oncology. At the top 15 US cancer centers, gender differences are seen in subspecialty representation, with more men in GU oncology and more women in breast oncology. Fewer women than men achieve the rank of full professor, even in breast oncology. Additional research is needed to explore the causes of, and contributors to, these differences as well as their impact. [Table: see text]

Gender Discrepancies through the College Years

2011 ◽  
pp. 190-205
Author(s):  
Christie L. McDaniel
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
World War Ii ◽  
University Students ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Information Science ◽  
The United States ◽  
Post Secondary ◽  
Self Confidence

Women made significant contributions to the beginning of the computing revolution. For example, Ada Byron Lovelace helped write the first subroutine, the women of the ENIAC age programmed the first computer during World War II, and Admiral Grace Hopper wrote the first compiler. While there have been female pioneers in the field, today men dominate the world of information technology (Riemenschneider, Armstrong, Allen, & Reid, 2004). Gürer and Camp (2002) report that many science fields hold women in low esteem, and attempt to reject them. Moreover, women are actually declining as part of the technology workforce: they made up 41% of the information technology workforce in 1996, but in 2002 that proportion was down to 35% (Cockburn, 1999). Furthermore, the number of female university students currently studying information technology and computer science will not lead to an increase of females in the profession: in 2002, only 28% of all degrees in computer and information sciences went to women (NCES, 2003); in 2003, only 19% of computer science students were female (Wilson, 2003) and only 28% of the undergraduate students in information science were female (Saye & Wisser, 2004). In a time where women make up the majority of university students (NCES, 2003), why is information technology seeing the opposite trend (Zeldin & Pajares, 2000)? There are a number of theories as to why so few women have chosen to pursue a career in technology (Acker, Barry, & Esseveld, 1990; Cooper & Robinson, 1985; Wilson, 2003; Zeldin & Pajares, 2000). Furthermore, nearly all studies on the subject have been done in the United States (Irani, 2004; Lips, 2004; Wilson, 2003) while only one study cited here explored the gender gap among university students at the University of Hong Kong (Huang, Ring, Toich, & Torres, 1998). A number of feminist researchers believe that science (including technology) has a language that is masculine in nature (Acker et al., 1990). Furthermore, since our society understands gender as binary—that is, what is masculine is not feminine and vice versa—the very nature of science leaves women out. Once women get into the IT world, they face issues of personality and confidence that differ by gender. One theory, to be explored in depth here, is that women enrolled in introductory programming courses have less confidence in themselves than do their male counterparts and that the confidence level of female students decreases significantly between secondary and post-secondary education (Lips, 2004). In addition to being shaped by their comparisons of their performance with the performance of their male peers, women’s self-confidence is likely influenced by their experience of stress in their technology-oriented courses. These influences, combined with inaccurate views of IT careers, are influential in whether or not college students decide to work towards an IT-related major or choose another discipline all together (Irani, 2004; Zeldin & Pajares, 2000).

Gender Differences in IT Use in the U.S. and Japan

2011 ◽  
pp. 564-569
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Ono ◽  
Madeline Zavodny
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Gender Inequality ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
The United States ◽  
It Use ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Actual Usage ◽  
Nuanced Understanding

As information technology (IT) has become more common in everyday use, so too have concerns about the digital divide—unequal access to and use of IT across demographic groups and countries. Understanding the extent and causes of the digital divide is important because IT skills have become increasingly vital to individuals’ economic success. Although IT is widely available in both the United States and Japan, there are notable gender differences in its actual usage between the two countries. In the United States, the gender gap in IT use has narrowed over time, and according to some measures, women are at least as likely as men to use computers. In Japan, however, sizable gender gaps in IT use persist. The contrasting patterns of IT use in the United States and Japan reflect differences in the structure of social organizations and institutions in the two countries. Studying gender differences in IT use across countries thus requires a nuanced understanding of the institutional context under which gender inequality is generated. Using the United States and Japan as contrasting examples, this article examines how gender differences in IT use evolve from gender inequality in broader cultural settings, particularly labor market institutions.

scholarly journals Are Boys and Girls still Digitally Differentiated? The Case of Catalonian Teenagers

10.28945/3879 ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 411-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roser Cussó-Calabuig ◽  
Xavier Carrera Farran ◽  
Xavier Bosch-Capblanch
Keyword(s):  
Gender Differences ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Computer Use ◽  
Demographic Data ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Ict Use ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Field Methodology

Aim/Purpose: This article presents a study of ICT use and attitudes related to the computer use of girls and boys from Catalonia in order to detect which gender differences may explain the low presence of women in the ICT field and to design a proposal of actions in schools to help reduce these differences. Background: Since the number of women in the field of ICT remains very low, this study looks into the factors that influence girls’ lack of interest in ICT field. Methodology: The study collected data from 29 randomly selected public secondary schools in Catalonia with a total of 1,920 students (972 boys and 815 girls aged between 11 and 13 years old); it analyzes socio-demographic data, frequency and type of computers use and attitudes and self-efficacy on ICT use. Contribution: The study concludes there is a prevalence of stereotypes about the differences of skills and professional vocation among the teenagers and a gender difference when we focus on attitudes toward computers or self-efficacy. Findings: Boys and girls face computer use in different ways and both have a stereotyped image of their mothers’ and fathers’ digital skills and ICT jobs. Girls present higher levels of anxiety than boys when using a computer and lower self-confidence. Boys have higher self-efficacy than girls when asked for their perception about doing tasks with computers. Impact on Society: Policy makers must design strategies to minimize these gender differences in order to engage more girls in technological studies and minimize this imbalance. Future Research: Future research is needed, in the Catalan context, about whether the intensive use of computers in schools can influence the reduction of the gender-gap and identify which interventions must be made to maximize its effect.

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