Relational gender preferences in the school context: a new measure for the diagnosis of gender relations in education

Abstract

This study evaluates a new methodological procedure for "micro-sociometric" analysis of gender relationship patterns in the adolescent students, which is analyzed using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). The purpose of the study is to develop and assessment of the Gender Relationship Preferences Scale (GRPS), in order to obtain valid and reliable data to recognize the willingness of the young (girls and boys) to interact with their peers; and to determine whether the relationships established between them are conditioned by the gender differential socialization proposed by patriarchy (Bosch, Ferrer & Alzamora, 2006; Lagarde, 1996; Lomas, 2007; Lorente, 2007; Rodríguez-Mosquera, 2011; Simón, 2010; Tomé & Tonucci, 2013). The sample size is 6000 cases, adolescent students, of whom 50.8% are women and 49.2% are men, with a mean age of 13.82 years. The construct validity is tested and it has obtained a high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = .92) for the determining the allocation of roles and gender stereotypes in the classroom, what it is obtained while considering the "social distance" and elective structure of boys and girls in classrooms. Maps "micro-sociometric", obtained with MCA, facilitates the interpretation of the results, which are consistent with other theoretical approaches, identifying the "social distance" between people, categories and both genders. The results highlight relational activities showing very marked gender patterns such as sharing clothing or choosing a couple, and the relational behaviors associated with inter-intra gender differentiation.