Rates of Gender Representation in Children’s Literature: A Comparison of U.S. vs. Chinese Children’s Books (Poster 22)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Sunday 8:00 a.m.
  In Poster Session: CERECG SIG Poster Session: Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Issues in Education

Abstract

Gender representation in children’s books can shape young children’s views on gender equity. Studies have shown factors like author gender, target audience age, and character types influence the overrepresentation of male protagonists in U.S. and Chinese children’s literature. However, it is unclear if this pattern exists cross-culturally. This study analyzed 1,019 Chinese children’s books and combined the data with 1,426 U.S. books from Casey et al. (2021). Results of Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Models indicate significant male-character overrepresentation across two cultures (p < .05), with a stronger presence in Chinese books (ps <.05). This is the first large-scale study comparing gender representation in Chinese and U.S. children’s books, highlighting cultural differences and their implications for education and literacy development.

Authors

• Qi Sun, University at Albany - SUNY

• Ching-I Huang, University at Albany - SUNY

• Kennedy Casey, Princeton University

• Tianlin Wang, University at Albany - SUNY