SAN PASCUAL SENIOR

HIGH SCHOOL I

San Pascual Senior High School 1

San Pascual, Batangas, Philippines

Inquiries, Investigations and Immersion

Ma’am Maribel Sikat

Research Title
EFFECTS OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND
STEREOTYPING ON CAREER CHOICES

Bicol, Arabella Grace

Delos Reyes, Sherilyn G.

Robledo, Kaeley Jade A.

Olivera, Denver Page PAGE \*

MERGEFORMAT 4
Panganiban, John N. JR.

HUMSS 12 - SOCRATES
 SAN PASCUAL SENIOR
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Bicol, Arabella Grace
Delos Reyes, Sherilyn G.
Robledo, Kaeley Jade A.
Olivera, Denver A.
Panganiban, John N. JR.
San Pascual Senior High School 1
San Pascual, Batangas, Philippines

EFFECTS OF GENDER MAINSTREAMING AND STEREOTYPING

ON CAREER CHOICES

ABSTRACT

This paper solely determined the effects of gender mainstreaming and

stereotyping on career choices. In order to collect the data needed, the
researchers use descriptive quantitative as the research design and conducted a
survey through Google forms, which the researchers use to present the results of
the study. The findings of the study revealed that there are negative and positive
effects of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping to students in choosing their
career choices. The respondents mostly agree with the positive effects of gender
stereotyping and mainstreaming in choosing a career/course. Then, the
interventions done by the school turned out to be effective. With these means,
the researchers designed a proposed plan of actions entitled “The Future of the
Generation: A Movement”.

Keywords – Gender Stereotyping, Gender Mainstreaming, Career Choices,

Social Roles, Career Guidance, Descriptive Research

INTRODUCTION

Throughout the years, people fought about the roles of men and women,
highlighting mainly women's empowerment and freedom. Not to rule the world,
not to take control over it, but to simply live freely. To decide what theyPage
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be. To become what they need to be. And despite how the world works today,
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there are still some people who want the male and female to act how they
should. It is important that people, both male and female, attain their preferred
careers in life to be content and happy; to achieve the feeling of victory in life.
In Senior High School, students have been given a chance to be oriented
in choosing their career path. It is practically important for these students to be
guided professionally to create or build these personalities, attributes, and
characteristics to identify themselves and prepare for life. It also encompasses a
range of acceptable behaviour and attitude based on a person's perception.
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Gender roles have been an important matter to society. It inflicts power
over people, especially those who think of themselves as higher than others. It
stands as a character of an individual, whether one is a male or female,
assuming that males should only act how a male should and females do the
same. But at times, a gender role prohibits a person to cross the line to do what
the other is capable of. People can choose however they want to spend their
lives. Females are not imposed as to who or what they want to be just because
society marks a certain job for certain genders. People can be anything they
want to be. It is where gender stereotypes come in. Gender stereotypes define
the attributes or personalities of one's gender, and ascribe the roles they have to
perform. It is a matter of equality, defying the idea as to how people are dictated
to act by society.
The study of Bien et. al (2017) emphasized the significance of being
enlightened to gender normalization as a student. In addition, there are
significant variances in the development of gender distinction between boys and
girls, which is clearly related to their socioeconomic status. Both groups, for
example, preferentially connect good attributes with their own group, but after the
age of six, girls stop demonstrating this trend and instead believe that something
that demands a great deal of intelligence should be done by a male.
Based on the prior findings from Ferrer-Perez and Bosch-Fiol (2014), the
goal of their study is to investigate the presence of gender schemes in a sample
of children, which is, as far as we know, the first study of its kind. In the country,
a country that has historically been dominated by a macho culture has evolved in
recent years toward more egalitarian attitudes. Although various studies on the
topic have been conducted with teenagers and young adults, none of them have
focused on the early stages of the problem, where the problem begins.
In accordance with Professor Dame et. al (2020), gender stereotypes are
mostly hidden through school routines and practices. Girls are assumed to be
more helpful and are always asked to tidy things up while boys are assumed to
be stronger and usually asked to move furniture and heavy things around. Most
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students see the limiting effects of stereotypes but turn into blind eye when they
experience it because as time passes by, it is becoming natural for them. MERGEFORMAT
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researchers constructed this study as a stand and are keen to deliver a probable
change. The researchers also believe that this study would be of great help to
the following individuals and/or groups. 
This study aims to help Junior and Senior High School students to
understand and find meaning to what they should choose when college comes,
especially if they are having problems with it as well as with the future
researchers.
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FRAMEWORK

Gender stereotypes are generalizations about what men and women are
like, and there typically is a great deal of consensus about them. The discrepant
distribution of men and women into social roles, both in the home and at work,
were derived from gender stereotypes according to the social role theory
(Koenig and Eagly, 2014). The contrasting distribution of men and women into
social roles, and the inferences it prompts about what women and men are like,
give rise to gender stereotypical conceptions. In the domestic sphere women
have performed the majority of routine domestic work and played the major
caretaker role. In the workplace, women have tended to be employed in people-
oriented, service occupations rather than things-oriented, competitive
occupations, which have traditionally been occupied by men (e.g., Lippa et al.,
2014).
The presence of stereotypes in society is a big contributor. Stereotypes
are ubiquitous and persistent in today's culture. They are mental shortcuts that
allow people to digest information fast while sacrificing accuracy in some cases.
Stereotypes can emerge without our knowledge, and social category stereotypes
are formed over time as a result of years of exposure to stereotyped portrayals of
groups in society. Stereotypes aren't always bad–they assist us navigate a world
that's constantly bombarding us with information–but they can skew our judgment
and lead us to make decisions that perpetuate prejudice and injustice in society.
(Organizational Dynamics, Edward H. Chang and Katherine L. Milkman, 2020).
Through these theories and statements, in some parts of the world, it has
proven that gender stereotypes hold an important issue in academic matters
regarding one’s gender.
On one hand, stereotype threat theory states that minority students
underperform because of pressures created by negative stereotypes about their
racial group. Past survey-based studies, however, are characterized by
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methodological inefficiencies and potential biases: key theoretical constructs
have only been measured using summed indicators and predicted relationships
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modelled using ordinary least squares (J. Owens & D.S. Massey).
More support has been found for stereotype threat—the view that minority
students underperform and in doubt of their preferred chosen careers because of
pressures created by negative stereotypes. In contrast with the first theory, if
boys perceive themselves as mathematically competent or overestimate their
abilities and girls do not, then it is likely that more boys will pursue a math,
science, or technological related career than girls. So cultural gender beliefs
could be biasing the competence of boys and girls, which in turn leads to more
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boys enrolling in STEM majors not because they are better at math related
subjects, but because they think they are (Correl, 2001).
Meanwhile, Eagly's (1987) social role theory argues that widely shared
gender stereotypes develop from the gender division of labor that characterizes a
society. Even in situations where gender stereotypes do not control behavior,
however, men and women may still act slightly differently due to their gender
differentiated skills. Prominent psychological theories of gender role and gender
identity development, on the other hand, include evolutionary theory which is
grounded in genetic bases for differences between men and women. It proposes
that men and women have evolved differently to fulfil their different and
complementary functions, which are necessary for survival.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This study aims to identify the forms of gender mainstreaming and

stereotyping that Senior High School students’ experience. Likewise, it intends to
describe how gender mainstreaming and stereotyping affect the career choice of
the students. The researchers are also keen to determine the effectiveness of the
interventions implemented in the school as perceived by the respondents.
Perception. Hence, from the findings, which will be obtained, a plan of action will
be proposed.

METHODOLOGY

The researchers used descriptive research design to conduct the research

because descriptive-survey research uses surveys to gather data about varying
subjects. Descriptive research design is a scientific method which involves
observing and describing the behavior of a subject without influencing it in a
matter (M. Shuttleworth, 2008). The researchers aim to know the extent to which
different issues or conflicts can be obtained from the subjects.
The researchers are also aiming for the minimum of 30 students, who
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personally considered mainstreaming and stereotyping as a factor in choosing
their preferred careers. The students from the school will be selected through the
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members of the research study as to how they see fit. The proponents used
purposive sampling in which the researchers selected these respondents whose
identities will be kept confidential so that their privacy will not be invaded by
those who are not part of the study.
The data gathering instrument to be used for this paper is survey-
questionnaire as the research contains a descriptive-survey study and the
respondents will have to answer the questions that the researchers prepared.
The researchers also aim to conduct the survey properly with respect and in a
neat manner. The variables that the researchers are intending to include are the
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analysis of the respondents’ emotions and answers to the effect of gender
stereotyping according to the academic courses chosen by the respondents.
This study is as significant as any other studies. It is being conducted to
determine how mainstream views and gender stereotyping affects the
professions and academic courses of the incoming college students and how it
shouldn't affect them just because of their genders. Lastly, the researchers intend
to use weighted mean and composite mean in interpreting the data.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This part presents the results, discussions and the insights that the researchers
have gathered in the process of conducting the study on the effects of gender
mainstreaming and stereotyping on career choices in San Pascual Senior High
School I. It is divided into 4 sections: (1) profile of the respondents, (2) forms of
gender mainstreaming and stereotypes, (3) the effects of gender mainstreaming
and stereotyping on career choices, and (4) the effectiveness of the interventions
done by the school.

Profile of the Respondents

The researchers gathered 30 respondents to complete the study. As

shown in the picture 1 below, the most people who answered the survey are 18-
year olds with the percentage of 43.3% which are mostly senior high school
students. And the least people, 16 and 21 of age, completed the survey which
attained both the percentage of 3.3%. 
In picture 2 shows a graph of the genders of the respondents. It revealed
that females are usually the ones who are being stereotyped in choosing their
preferred career/track choices. Presented in picture 3 are the tracks/programs
they have chosen for themselves.

PICTURE 1
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PICTURE 2

PICTURE 3

PICTURE 3

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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Table 1
Forms of Gender Mainstreaming and Stereotyping Experienced By
Student-Respondents

1. Forms of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping

Statement Weighte Verbal

d Interpretation
Mean
1. I am always encouraged and pressured to
do better in academics to have a good 3.00 Sometimes
future.
2. I was told to choose my profession based 2.33 Rarely
only on my gender.
3. I considered changing my chosen Rarely
track/course because I was told I would not 1.93
be able to do it.
4. I have been told not to dream big since I
would not be able to make it because of my 1.93 Rarely
intellectual abilities.
5. People told me to be fluent in English to
attract big job opportunities in the future. 2.76 Sometimes
6. They told me to take courses that are 3.00 Sometimes
anchored on my talents.
7. I was encouraged to be better at sports
than in academics and make a career out of 2.23 Rarely
that certain sport.
8. I am discouraged to choose a
course/profession that is commonly taken by 2.03 Rarely
the opposite sex.
9. I am told to be more practical in choosing
a career and ignore the path that I want to 2.46 Rarely
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10. I am told to focus on blue-collar jobs
rather than white-collar jobs since it suits my 2.40 Rarely
skills.
11. I am encouraged to take vocational 2.16 Rarely
courses since it suits my sex.
12. I was told that my chosen career doesn't
suit me since I am shy and have low self- 2.03 Rarely
confidence.
13. I was told to stick on being an employee
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behind a desk after graduating from college 1.93 Rarely
because that’s where I belong.
14. Someone told me I am not capable of
achieving big things if I were to choose a 2.03 Rarely
profession that is intended for opposite sex.

15. I was told that I should not take

professions like being a lawyer, engineer, or 1.86 Rarely
military because of my weak and soft heart.

COMPOSITE MEAN 2.27 Rarely

In Table 1, the first result from the survey-questionnaire was presented.

The highest weighted mean from the statements are the first one which stated
how they are always encouraged and pressured to do better in academics in
order to have a good future, and are told to take courses that are anchored on
their talents with the mean of 3.00 or 3. The chosen students also mostly
responded to being told to be more fluent in English to attract big opportunities in
the future which resulted in a weighted mean of 2.76.
The table also revealed the statement that has the lowest weighted mean
in which the students are being told that they should not take professions like
being a lawyer, engineer, or military for having a weak heart, gaining 1.86
weighted mean.
According to the result of the questionnaire distributed by the researchers,
the forms of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping by the respondents,
although some truly answered always, were rarely experienced with the
composite mean of 2.27. The findings show that there are certain and particular
forms of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping that are still being experienced
in this generation.
In addition, the forms of gender mainstreaming and stereotypes that are
being experienced by the respondents were described as rare which only
attained the composite mean of 2.27. Based on the students' responses, some
were answered 'always' but the results have been interpreted as 'rarely'. 
  A finding from a study implies that there is a form of stereotyping Page PAGE
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careers among females and males. Their findings revealed that both sexes
more likely to choose careers consonant with stereotyping perceptions. Males
were
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were more likely to do jobs perceived masculine jobs. (Kimaro & Lawuo, 2016) 
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Table 2
Effects of Gender Mainstreaming and Stereotyping on Career Choices

2. Effects of Gender Mainstreaming and Stereotyping

STATEMENTS Weighte Verbal
d Mean Interpretation
1. It challenged and helped me to pursue my 3.56 Strongly Agree
dream profession.
2. I gain the courage to do everything I 3.36 Agree
wanted because I believe in myself.
3. I become even stronger and aspired to 3.63 Strongly Agree
prove them wrong.
4. I helped people who experienced being 3.56 Strongly Agree
stereotyped in school to get through it.
5. I became committed to the things that I 3.53 Strongly Agree
do in my life.
6. I promoted gender equality. 3.60 Strongly Agree
7. I became a better version of myself for 3.70 Strongly Agree
me and not for others.
8. I joined groups fighting for gender 3.30 Agree
equality.
9. I make sure I don't hurt other people's
feelings by degrading them due to their 3.60 Strongly Agree
genders.
10. I become motivated to excel in my 3.63 Strongly Agree
present course/career from my experience.
COMPOSITE MEAN 3.54 Strongly Agree

In Table 2, the effects of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping on

career choices to the respondents were shown. The results show that most
students agreed to the statement of becoming a better version for themselves
and not for others with the highest weighted mean of 3.70. This shows Page PAGE \*
that the
statement has the most effect on students who were gender stereotyped and
mainstreamed on choosing their career choices. MERGEFORMAT 4
             Moreover, the students becoming motivated to excel in their present
courses came in second with the next highest weighted mean from the result
which gained 3.63. Promoting gender equality and making sure they do not hurt
other people's feelings by degrading them due to their genders attained the
same weighted mean of 3.60.
            Lastly, joining groups fighting for gender equality gained the lowest
weighted mean of 3.30 which clearly shows that this has the least effect of
gender stereotyping and mainstreaming on the respondents. 
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Stereotypes are highly useful when people are faced with a situation
where they need to make quick decisions. Going through stereotyping scenarios
will help people improve their abilities to make good perceptions. Also, according
to Reddy (2016), most women who usually experience being stereotyped use the
advantage to create a more friendly-environment around them and tend to be
more successful in life.
After gathering all the respondents' answers, the researchers seek out the
composite mean of 3.54 with the verbal interpretation of STRONGLY AGREE.
Apparently, it can also be interpreted that the respondents mostly agree with the
positive effects of gender stereotyping and mainstreaming in choosing a
career/course. 

Table 3
The Effectiveness of the Interventions Done by the School

3. Effectiveness of Interventions
STATEMENTS Weighte Verbal
d Mean Interpretation
1. The career orientation helps me realize 3.40 Effective
the right factors in choosing a career.
2. The career guidance program of the
school helps me decipher my desired 3.36 Effective
course/program.
3. The career guidance and counseling
program I participate in helps me determine 3.26 Effective
the knowledge, skills, and experience I need
to discover the career of my best interest.
4. A career guide, a teacher or a staff, helps
me identify career options and narrows them 3.23 Effective
down for me to figure out the career/course I
want.
5. The career guidance counseling gives me
awareness of what I want in the future based 3.43 Effective Page PAGE \*
on my individual interest, skills and values. MERGEFORMAT 4
6. Career orientation motivates me to pursue
the career/course of my choice despite being 3.30 Effective
stereotyped.
7. The career guidance helps me pursue my
career/course after being told by people that 3.13 Effective
the career/course I have chosen isn’t
intended for my sex.
8. The career orientation helps me weigh Very Effective
down other people’s opinions regarding the 3.56
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career/course I picked for myself.
9. The career counseling program helps me
strengthen my decision towards choosing a 3.20 Effective
career/course even after being stereotyped.
10. A career guidance guides me to the right
path towards my chosen/course when I am 3.46 Effective
in doubt.
COMPOSITE MEAN 3.33 Effective

This table presents the effectiveness of the interventions done by the

school which are mostly career guidance orientations that are usually effective
on some students. In table 3, the researchers found that the most effective for
the respondents was when the career orientations helped them weigh down
other people's opinions regarding the courses/careers that they have chosen for
themselves. It has the weighted mean of 3.56.
Also, the results revealed that the second most effective intervention was
the career guidance orientation guiding the respondents towards their right path
when they doubt themselves which gathered 3.46 weighted mean and ranked in
second as well. The respondents also find the career guidance effective as it
gives them awareness of what they want in the future based on their individual
interests, skills and values. 
However, the lowest score which attained the weight mean of 3.13 is how
the career guidance helps the respondents pursue their career/course after being
told by people that the career/course they have chosen isn't intended for their
sex which also resulted effective yet ranked the last. 
Career guidance helps students manage their careers and make the
educational, training and occupational choices that are right for them. It is
necessary for young people as it helps them to reflect on their ambitions,
interests, qualifications, skills and talents and to relate this knowledge about who
they are to who they might become in the world of work. (Mann & Quintini, 2021)
Based on the data presented above, the career guidance orientation
gathered a result of 3.33 composite mean and all the interventions done by the
school were effective for the students who were being stereotyped. 
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4. Proposed Plans of Actions

Action Plan
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“THE FUTURE OF THE GENERATION: A MOVEMENT”

PROJECT OBJECTIVES STRATEGY PERSONS TIME FRAME

TITLE INVOLVED

The teachers will

This event present the Every year,
would just be experiences and the Students, the school will
Fun Career a little different journeys from different teachers, allow a one-
Guidance to the kinds of world- professional day event for
Orientation previous renowned s, and the students
Event project. Its professionals in parents who who will be
objective is to different kinds of fields support their choosing a
help the by letting the students children. track, a
students be watch a movie virtually school
inspired with about that certain program or a
the speeches professional/successfu career.
and the l person related to the
activities that concept that was being
will be done in looked down before or
school. presenting a proper
PowerPoint
presentation that
would help the
students create an
idea of what they
would want to be in the
future or how they can
overcome the
experience of being
stereotype and still
succeed in life.
The sessions
This is to help Each school will have Page
will be PAGE \*
students
communicate
sessions hosted by a
student wherein the
Usually
young
accomplished
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thrice a week
4
with each students are like people and for students
Career other to having a therapy students are who are likely
Therapy expand and session – but for their involved in to
Club deepen their school choices, like a such cases. communicate
association small club. It will also with other
with each help them to socialize people rather
other. more and interact well than their
with others. families about
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school
matters.

CONCLUSIONS

The following conclusions were derived from the findings based on the
study. The forms of gender mainstreaming and stereotyping among the
respondents was described as rarely. Second, the respondents agreed to the
effects of gender stereotyping and mainstreaming on career choices and also
strongly agreed to the fact that being stereotyped in choosing a career/track has
a negative and also positive effect on these students. It is also noted that the
career guidance orientations were effective for the respondents' experiences in
gender stereotyping and mainstreaming.
Based on the overall findings from the results, the researchers designed a
proposed action plan entitled "The Future of a Generation: A Movement" wherein
a series of actions will be implemented to help the students take the next big step
of their lives. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

Given the analysis, recommendations are hereby put forward. First, there
are certain gender stereotypes scenarios that still happen as of today. They need
someone to cheer them up, or they need to talk to their social media friends and
family. They also do not need to listen to other people how to live their lives,
most especially regarding their school situations due to their genders. Second,
students who are subjected to gender stereotypes should not be discouraged
and should constantly trust in themselves. Third, future researchers may use this
as study as reference in their research. Finally, school administrators can use the
action plan to give high-quality education to students. Page PAGE \*
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REFERENCES (Literatures Cited)

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Bian, et. al., (2017). Gender Stereotypes About Intellectual Ability Emerge Early
And Influence Children’s Interests. Science.
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aah6524

Ferrer-Pérez & Bosch-Fiol. (2014). The Measure of the Masculinity–Feminity

Construct Today 

Hentschel, T, et.al,. (2014) The Multiple Dimensions of Gender Stereotypes: A

Current Look at Men’s and Women’s Characterizations of Others and
Themselves. Front Psychology

Corell, S. (2001). Gender and the Career Choice Process: The Role of Biased
Self-assessments. American Journal of Sociology

Koenig, A. M., & Eagly, A. H. (2014). Evidence for the social role theory of
stereotype content: Observations of groups’ roles shape stereotypes. Journal of
Personality and Social Psychology, 107(3), 371–392.
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037215

Chang, E.H & Milkman, K.L.(2020).Organizational Dynamics

Owens, J., & Massey, D. S. (2011). Stereotype Threat and College Academic
Performance: A Latent Variables Approach. Social Science Research, 40(1),
150–166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssresearch.2010.09.010

M. Shuttleworth (2008). Descriptive Research Design. Retrieved Jun 07, 2022

from Explorable.com: https://explorable.com/descriptive-research-design

Kimaro, A. R. and Ebenezer A. Lawuo. (2016). "The Effects of Gender

Stereotyping on Career Choice among Secondary School Students in Tanzania."
International Journal of Advanced Engineering, Management and Science

Brescoll, V. L. (2016).Leading with their hearts? How gender stereotypes of

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emotion lead to biased evaluations of female leaders. The Leadership Quarterly, \*
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27(3), 415–428. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2016.02.005
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/gender-stereotyping

Mann, A. & Quintini, G. (2021). Investing in Career Guidance: Helping Youth Out
Of the Pandemic.https://oecdskillsandwork.wordpress.com/2021/07/15/investing-
in-career-guidance-helping-youth-out-of-the-pandemic