The Impact of Gender Stereotypes on Academic Aspiration

Abstract

Gender stereotypes have deep roots, even about intelligence and capability, in many societies, including Pakistan. Its negative effects in our daily lives are undeniable. Somehow, it affects the self-esteem and motivation of female students about their academic aspirations too. Moreover, it increases barriers and decreases opportunities for them. There is a need to understand and mitigate the impact of gender stereotypes. In support of SDG5, this research is conducted to highlight the experiences and perceptions of female students. It is a basic qualitative cross-sectional explanation within a Social Cognitive theoretical framework. The researchers selected Karachi, Pakistan as the universe of this research. The researchers selected female students as the population of this research. The researchers recruited respondents through convenient sampling method. The data was saturated after conducting in depth interview with sixteen samples. The researcher analyzed the data with thematic analysis method. It is concluded that the gender stereotypes of intelligence and capability are deeply rooted in Pakistani society. Such gender stereotypes impact the self-esteem and motivation of female students. This study also identified some coping mechanisms for female university students to counteract negative gender stereotypes and boost their self-esteem and motivation. The study's overall conclusion highlights the importance of eradicating gender stereotypes and promoting an environment that is more equal for all students. Stakeholders should assist female students in achieving their full potential by comprehending the effects of gender stereotypes and taking action to address them.

Keywords: Gender stereotypes, academic aspirations, self-esteem, motivation, female students