Gender-related socialization in the context of physical activity in early childhood

Abstract:

Starting Point: At kindergarten age gender-specific socialization is of particular importance. On the one hand, gender-related expectations, feedback, behavioural interpretations, etc., of a child’s surroundings increase, as the child increasingly participates in social practices. At the same time, the child (also) perceives her or his environment in terms of gender-specific categories and interprets them accordingly. The area of the body and movement in this context is of particular significance. On the one hand, ‘the’ environment offers boys and girls different body identification possibilities and gender presentation possibilities and may react differently to the movement behaviour of boys and girls. On the other hand, precisely at this age level movement experiences are interpreted in a way that is utterly decisive as far as the development of the self-concept is concerned.

Objective of the study: The aim of this study is to reconstruct what gender-related notions girls and boys aged four to six have developed in relation to the body and movement and to determine the extent to which internalized notions of ‘being masculine and feminine’ already have a decisive orienting effect in the context of movement activities. In addition, the aim is to explore the problem awareness of parents and kindergarten teachers with respect to early childhood gender-specific body and movement socialization. In particular, we examine those (gender-related) notions according to which parents and kindergarten teachers (consciously or unconsciously) raise and socialize boys and girls in the sphere of the body and movement.

Research design: The study is qualitatively designed. It is based in the narrower sense on Grounded Theory and is conceived as different partial studies. We approach the child-raising aspect using guided interviews. We attempt to reconstruct the child’s perspective by way of impulse interviews. The analysis of children’s movement behaviour takes place on the basis of videographic and participatory observation. The findings of the specific partial studies are successively related to each other in order to interpret them contextually as well.

Initial results (Funding phase 1): At the current state of the study it can be roughly said that the early childhood movement socialization of boys and girls is clearly prestructured according to two genders. Even though individual-based perspectives and behaviour strategies on the part of parents and kindergarten teachers vis-à-vis children are always present, by way of orientation against the category ‘gender’, selected movement requirements, motives and activities are (frequently) assumed or suggested already at an early stage to children by the educational environment. The practice of differentiating between the sexes whereby the old gender positions are maintained contrasts among many parents and kindergarten teachers with a semantics of equality and individuality.

In the case of boys the image of the action-ready and competitively oriented child seems to be present and is supported by the educational environment by corresponding opportunities for movement. Furthermore, through appropriate toys, but above all through an ever-present body-hugging symbolism (Spiderman, ‘Wilde Kerle’, pirates) [‘Wilde Kerle’ refers to a German children’s film by the same name of 2003 which depicts a group of football-playing boys. trans.] of accessories and clothing, clear-cut concepts of identity are being offered. In the context of movement behaviour, these clearly stake out the horizon of expectations for ‘being a boy’. In uneducated families this masculine concept of identity appears to be even more marked.

At the age of roughly four years, the clear-cut socialization effects at the behavioural level and the internalized gender expectations repeatedly and clearly make themselves felt: Boys tend to describe themselves – in keeping with their internalized notion of gender – as strong, courageous and fast, at least in differentiating themselves from the second sex. In addition, many boys test themselves in the ‘gender role’ provided at the level of physical comparison or even through their dominance, racing-about and loudness. Since this movement behaviour often appears to those around them as ‘typical of boys’, the learning environment in turn is quickly tempted to regard such behaviour as ‘natural’, as ‘innate’, and to support boys in this line of behaviour by providing them with the appropriate opportunities.

Indeed, in principle in the case of girls everything is left open – that much can be said in summary: being wild, having power, showing courage – girls are not prevented from exerting such behaviours. Nevertheless, these patterns of movement are relatively seldom actively encouraged or invoked by a corresponding symbolism. Instead, it must be acknowledged that girls in everyday family life are mainly actively supported within the framework of cooperative and creative patterns of movement. With increasing preschool age girls also learn through clear-cut feedback that they – in contrast to boys – may suppress their needs for movement. They know that they are allowed to fight and be wild, but at the same time they also realize that these patterns of movement are actually typical of boys rather than girls. In terms of constructing a social gender identity and not least in distinguishing themselves from boys, girls thus frequently abstain from revealing the potential range of their movement skills and of their movement needs: One girl states this as follows: ‘And girls can actually do everything boys can do. But they don’t want to show this because they are girls!’

Research prospects: After bringing out the correspondences in the patterns of movement socialization, the goal in the second research phase is to place the focus on children and families who deviate from what is considered ‘typical’. In addition, the analysis processes will be principally carried out with a view to the age of the children. Finally, the intent is to produce work materials designed to increase educational gender sensitivity in the area of movement.

 

Publications:

Hunger, Ina. (2011). Empirische Annäherungen an die frühkindliche Bewegungswelt unter dem Aspekt „Gender“. In T. Bindel (Hrsg.), Feldforschung und ethnographische Zugänge in der Sportpädagogik. Forum Sportpädagogik. Band 2 (S. 89-103). Aachen: Shaker.

Hunger, Ina (2011). Geschlechtsspezifische Bewegungssozialisation im Kindergartenalter. Zum Problembewusstsein von Eltern und Erzieherinnen. In I. Bähr & K. Krieger (Hrsg.). Geschlecht und bewegungsbezogene Bildung(sforschung) (im Druck). Hamburg: Feldhaus.

Hunger, Ina (2011). „Jungen sind da anders.“ Zur erzieherischen Auslegung des Bewegungsverhaltens von Jungen und Mädchen. In B. Lütje-Klose, M.-T. Langer, B. Serke & M. Urban (Hrsg.). Inklusion in Bildungsinstitutionen – eine Herausforderung an Heil- und Sonderpädagogik. (S. 255-261). Bad Heilbrunn: Verlag Julius Klinkhardt

Hunger, Ina & Zimmer, Renate (2010). „Ballack kann doch kein Mädchen sein: Aspekte einer geschlechterbewussten Bewegungssozialisation“. Bildungsjournal frühe Kindheit. Bewegung, Körpererfahrung & Gesundheit, 16-23. Berlin: Cornelsen Scriptor.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Verschiedene Geschlechter, gleiche Chancen? Zur Bewegungssozialisation von Jungen und Mädchen in der frühen Kindheit. In I. Hunger & R. Zimmer (Hrsg.). Bildungschancen durch Bewegung – von früher Kindheit an! (S.132-137). Schorndorf: Hofmann.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Geschlechterrollen in Bewegung (bringen). Anregungen für eine geschlechtersensible (Bewegungs-)Erziehung. Bildungsjournal frühe Kindheit. Bewegung, Körpererfahrung & Gesundheit, 44-51. Berlin: Cornelsen Scriptor.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Geschlechtsspezifische Sozialisation bis zum Schuleintritt – Hintergründe und Reflexionsanlässe. In W. Beudels, N. Kleinz & S. Schönrade (Hrsg.), Bildungsbuch Kindergarten: Erziehen, Bilden und Fördern im Elementarbereich (S.241-247). Dortmund: Modernes Lernen.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Familiäre Bewegungssozialisation von Jungen und Mädchen in der frühen Kindheit. Motorik, 33 (4), 150-153.

 

Presentations:

Hunger, Ina (2011). Geschlechtsbezogenes Wissen von Körper und Bewegung – Feldforschung im Kindergarten. Vortrag im Rahmen des 20. Sportwissenschaftlichen Hochschultages „Kreativität – Innovation – Leistung“, Universität Halle-Wittenberg

Hunger, Ina (2011). Geschlechtersozialisation in Bewegung? Eine qualitative Studie zur Bewegungssozialisation von Jungen und Mädchen im Kindergartenalter. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der dvs-Sektion Sportpädagogik „Kinder- und Jugendsport zwischen Gegenwarts- und Zukunftsorientierung“ , Universität Heidelberg

Hunger, Ina (2011). Ballack kann doch kein Mädchen sein!? - Zur frühkindlichen Geschlechtersozialisation heute. Hauptvortrag im Rahmen des Kongresses „Bewegte Kindheit“, Universität Osnabrück.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Geschlechtsspezifische Bewegungssozialisation in der frühen Kindheit. Zum Problembewusstsein von Eltern und Erzieherinnen. Vortrag im Rahmen der Jahrestagung der dvs-Kommission Geschlechterforschung „Geschlecht und bewegungsbezogene Bildung(sforschung)“, Universität Hamburg.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Zwischen Heterogenität und Inklusion? Geschlechtsbezogene Bewegungssozialisation zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. Vortrag im Rahmen der Tagung für DozentInnen der Sonderpädagogik mit dem Thema „Inklusion in Bildungsinstitutionen – eine Herausforderung an die Heil- und Sonderpädagogik“, Universität Bielefeld.

Hunger, Ina (2010). Geschlechtsspezifische Körper- und Bewegungssozialisation in der frühen Kindheit. Vortrag im Rahmen des bundesweiten multidisziplinären Symposiums „Frühkindliche Bewegungsbildung“, Universität Bremen.

Hunger, Ina (2009). Verschiedene Geschlechter, gleiche Chancen? Zur Bewegungs-sozialisation von Jungen und Mädchen in der frühen Kindheit. Vortrag im Rahmen des Kongresses „Bewegte Kindheit“, Universität Osnabrück.

Hunger, Ina. (2011). Empirische Annäherungen an die frühkindliche Bewegungswelt unter dem Aspekt „Gender“. In T. Bindel (Hrsg.),