A Brief Intervention Highlighting Counter-stereotypical Role Models Changes Children’s Gender Stereotypes about Values and Careers

Care-oriented values and careers are vital, yet men remain less engaged with them. We tested abrief, preregistered role-model intervention to reduce children’s gender stereotypes aboutcommunion (caring for others) and agency (achievement and independence). We also examinedwhether this intervention would narrow gender differences in children’s own values and careerinterests. Seven- to 10-year-olds from the US and Canada (N = 244; 121 boys, 123 girls) viewedsix animated vignettes about fictional children who grew up to choose careers aligned with theirvalues. In the “stereotypical” condition, girls were communal and entered communal careers,while boys were agentic and entered agentic careers. In the “counter-stereotypical” condition,these pairings were reversed. A third, “counter-stereotypical + status” condition added wealthcues to both careers. Compared with the stereotypical condition, both counter-stereotypicalconditions weakened children’s gender stereotypes about communal and agentic values andcareers. They also reduced gender differences in children’s own communal values and careerinterests, although these effects were smaller and less consistent. Wealth cues did not strengthenthe intervention. These findings suggest that counter-stereotypical role models are a promising,scalable method for combating stereotypes that steer boys away from communion—thoughlikely one component of broader efforts.