“You Kick Like A Girl!” The Effects of Gender Stereotypes on Motor Skill Learning in Young Adolescents

in Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology

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Seyyed Mohammadreza MousaviCollege of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

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Laura GrayCôte d’Azur University, Nice, France

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Sahar BeikUniversity of Urmia, Urmia, Iran

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Maxime DeshayesUniversity of Nîmes, Nîmes, France

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2020-0255
Keywords:
prevention focus; promotion focus; soccer; stereotype boost; stereotype threat
First Published Online:
22 Oct 2021
In Print:
Volume 43: Issue 6
Page Range:
450–458
Restricted access

This study investigated the effect of gender stereotypes on (a) a soccer learning task based on accuracy (i.e., shooting on different size targets) among young adolescents and (b) the strategy used to score as many points as possible. After performing 10 baseline trials, 45 young adolescents were randomly divided into three groups: positive stereotype, negative stereotype, and control. Then, they performed five blocks of 10 trials and two retention tests, 1 and 3 days after the stereotype manipulation to assess the relatively permanent consequences of stereotype effects. Results showed that when the negative stereotype was induced, participants performed worse during the acquisition phase and the first retention test. The positive stereotype only had a positive effect on performance during the second retention test. These findings provide the first evidence of the effect of gender stereotypes on motor learning tasks requiring accuracy among young adolescents.

Mousavi (seyedmrezam@gmail.com) is corresponding author.

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