Comparison of Gender Stereotype between Female Nursing Students and Humanities Students

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify difference in gender stereotype between female nursing students and humanities students. METHODS: A descriptive comparative study was done. The subjects were 300 nursing students and 114 humanities students who were selected by convenient sampling. Data were collected from September 2008 to October 2008 using a constructive questionnaire with 30 questions, which was prepared for this study by modifying the instrument about gender stereotype developed by Kim. The data were analyzed through ANCOVA, factor analysis and Chronbach's alpha using the SPSS program. RESULTS: 1) Of the six subcategories of gender stereotype, five were higher in the nursing students than in the humanities students, but occupational gender stereotype was not. 2) Age affected total, familiar, social, external, and intellectual gender stereotype. 3) Self-satisfaction and major satisfaction affected social gender stereotype. 4) In the analysis of difference in gender stereotype with controlling age, self-satisfaction and major satisfaction, the nursing students showed statistically significant higher scores in intellectual stereotype than the humanities students. CONCLUSION: Because female nursing students tended to show high gender stereotype, nursing educators need to develop programs for helping nursing students escape from gender stereotypes and increase their self-satisfaction.