The investigation of gender stereotypes in preschool age with the use of ICT.
The human tendency to classify objects is a skill that develops from infancy, evolving alongside cognitive abilities and educational experiences. Children create concepts based on similarities, enabling them to understand and organize their world. Gender, as a significant social category, is quickly recognized by infants, who can distinguish between male and female faces from an early age. By approximately three months, they can differentiate male and female groups solely based on facial characteristics. Social categorization—the grouping of people by traits such as gender or age—frequently fosters stereotypes and amplifies differences between groups.
The primary social environment experienced by children, particularly the family, followed by “significant others” such as schools and peers, plays a crucial role in shaping gender stereotypes. Gender norms and behaviors are cultural constructs influenced by social interactions and representations in cultural artifacts. Specifically, cultural depictions of gender through symbolic language and artistic productions, including literature in books, provide a foundation for meaningful dialogue about gender stereotypes.
Storytelling supports children in understanding their identity and expressing emotions that may be difficult to articulate. Digital storytelling, in particular, offers an inclusive platform where children can build, explore, reflect on, and communicate their identities through character creation and story development. This doctoral research aims to investigate gender stereotypes among preschool-aged children through the creation of interactive digital storytelling and triangulating these findings with input from the “significant others” in the children’s lives, namely parents and educators.
Key Words: ICT, gender stereotypes, preschool age
Despoina Kompoti , (Supervisor), Lecturer, Department of Social Work, University of West Attica
Maria Hatzigianni , Assistant Professor, Department of Early Childhood Education and Care, University of West Attica
Christos Troussas , Assistant Professor, Department of Informatics and Computer Engineering, University of West Attica
