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You can’t sit with us!1
The Role of Stereotypes in the High School System and
the Impacts of these on Adolescents
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1
Mean Girls, 2004
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Introduction 2
Log 4
Chapter 1: Stereotypes in the High School Education System 6
Chapter 2: The Portrayal of High School Stereotypes Within the Media 10
Chapter 3: Impacts of Stereotypes on Adolescents 14
Conclusion 18
Annotated Resource List: Primary Sources 20
Focus Group 20
Questionnaire 20
Content Analysis 21
Annotated Resource List: Secondary Sources 22
Journal Articles 22
Reports 25
Articles 26
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Introduction
The focus of my PIP is the notion of stereotypes within the high school education system and
the resulting impacts of these stereotypes on adolescents. An exploration will be undertaken
of the origin of stereotypes, the type of stereotypes, the role that the media plays in portraying
and perpetuating stereotypes, and the impact of these stereotypes on adolescents both initially
and as they progress into adulthood. Through the aid of primary and secondary research, I
will aim to discover if stereotypes will have a major role in the high school system and if they
will have significant impacts on adolescent’s sense of self and social interactions.
This topic was selected because stereotypes in high school have been directly relevant to my
everyday life in the past 6 years and I am constantly immersed in these stereotypes whether it
be at school, in the media, or in peer groups. Being both stereotyped myself and being
involved in stereotyping others during my high school experience led to an interest in
exploring the complexities of stereotypes, where they come from and how accurate they
really are. I am interested in how these stereotypes can affect not only my own high school
experience, but other high school experiences throughout society and across time.
The topic of the role of stereotypes in high school and their impacts on adolescents has
significantly contributed to a better understanding of society and culture as I engaged with
ideas I had not had an opportunity to consider previously, such as how stereotypes from high
school can impact an individual’s adult life and career. This topic undoubtedly increased my
social and cultural literacy as I was able to view such a prominent issue in my own life from
varying perspectives and gain a greater appreciation for the diverse backgrounds and cultures
within high school and wider society. I also became aware of preconceived notions of
adolescents in high school, which I enjoyed discovering whether or not these are true
reflections of the adolescent, as well as becoming aware of trying not to stereotype others.
To examine the impact of stereotypes on adolescents, it was important to look at whether
gender played a role in it’s impact. I will look at both continuity and change as although
stereotypes have remained present in high school over time, they have changed due to
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developments in technologies, the media, beliefs, and values in society. Identity will be
explored in how stereotypes influence adolescent’s identity initially and over time. Micro,
meso and macro worlds will be explored in the impacts of stereotypes on individual identity,
interactions and relationships in schools, and how the concept of society portrays stereotypes,
such as the media. I have incorporated the use of primary and secondary research methods
which include articles, websites, questionnaire, content analysis and focus group. I have
utilised these research methods as it will allow the connection of both quantitative and
qualitative data to gain a wide and informed understanding of stereotypes from a variety of
ages, cultures, genders and backgrounds. The topic aligns with the HSC depth study Social
Conformity and Nonconformity, focusing on the formation of, and influences on, attitudes
and behaviours of high school students. This includes factors influencing conformity to
stereotypes and deviation away from the norms of their group within high school or high
school as a whole.
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Log
The research process began through brainstorming and researching potential topic ideas. I
researched online sites where I came across a past PIP online that focused on various
stereotypes in high school and how they were reflected in the media. This was of great
interest to me as it has been directly relevant to my everyday life in the last 6 years and was a
topic that I have been very involved in. Due to the increase in high school bullying, teen
anxiety, and teen depression, researching a major contributor of these issues is socially and
culturally relevant. Personally being both stereotypes and stereotyping others during high
school also made this an important topic for myself.
Once I commenced research on this area, it was discovered that the academic and research
articles were focused on race, gender and academic stereotypes while less academic sources,
such as websites, were focusing on ‘cliche’ stereotypes like ‘jock’ and ‘nerd’. The decision
was made the decision to incorporate both of these areas as it was an area of interest and I
wanted to use a wide range of secondary research to support my PIP, this formulated the idea
for my first chapter. In using primary research of a questionnaire and focus group, it allowed
me to explore both qualitatively and quantitatively the presence of stereotypes in high school
and consequently the impacts of these in various genders and ages. During the research
process, it was discovered that many articles had discussed the impact of stereotypes in high
school on the adolescent’s high school life and even beyond, sparking an interest in
discussing this in depth in my third chapter. To further increase my social awareness of high
school stereotypes through the media, it became the focus of my second chapter and
influenced the decision to conduct a content analysis on films. My content analysis was
critical in evaluating exactly how the media represents stereotypes through obtaining
qualitative data on films to exemplify how the media promotes unrealistic stereotypes in the
high school system. Change was examined through my content analysis by exploring how
changes in society and the media impact on how stereotypes are presented.
However, obstacles were faced in gaining an extensive amount of data from my focus group
as there were limitations in thoroughly conducting the research due to inadequate preparation
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and time constraints, restricting the use of my focus group to confirm or contest other
research. Overall, my PIP was a highly valuable experience that enhanced my research skills
and ability to construct my own informed ideas on a subject of great interest. It was one of
the most memorable experiences of my education and undoubtedly increased my social and
cultural literacy as I was able to view such a central issue in my life from varying
perspectives and gain a greater appreciation for the diverse backgrounds and cultures within
high school and wider society.
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Chapter 1: Stereotypes in the High School Education
System
There is a complex variety of stereotypes within the high school education system which play
a role in the high school experience for individual adolescents, contributing to their identity.
These stereotypes and labels are derived from varying factors including race, gender,
socioeconomic status, appearance and values. Stereotypes have evolved over time due to
changing beliefs and values, as well as the introduction of communication technologies, such
as social media. To assess the role stereotypes have within the high school education system,
it is necessary to understand what the various stereotypes are and how they are viewed within
society.
A stereotype is associated with the development of beliefs concerning the traits supposedly
possessed by most members of a society 2. The awareness of these ‘social categories’ become
apparent in adolescents’ lives quite early 3. This begins at just 30 months of age where
children are labelled as a gender and show some limited knowledge of gender stereotypes.
“As soon as a baby is labeled as boy or girl expectations are put into place. These
expectations will determine what color clothes it will wear, the type of toys that it will play
with, and what type of behavior is considered acceptable” 4. Across the childhood and early
adolescent years, students are able to distinguish among a wide variety of occupations,
activities, and attributes on the basis of gender, race and status. This aligns with the
questionnaire results, which found that 74% of respondents were familiar with at least 2 or
more high school stereotypes 5. Of these respondents, 36.8% attended high school from
1980-1989, 5.3% attended from 1990-1999, 10.5% attended from 2000-2009, and 47.4%
attended from 2010-present 6. This demonstrates that the presence of stereotypes has endured
2
Allen, 2000 cited in Igbo, J. N., Onu, V. C., & Obiyo, N. O., Impact of Gender Stereotype on
Secondary School Students’ Self-Concept and Academic Achievement, 2015
3
Rowley, Kurtz-Costes, Mistry & Feagans, Gender stereotypes about mathematics and science and
self-perceptions of ability in late childhood and early adolescence, 2 007
4
Garcia, Labels and its effects on deviance: correlation between internalization and deviance, 2013
p.3
5
Questionnaire, 2019
6
Questionnaire, 2019
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over time with a slight increase in recent times 7. An individual’s knowledge is shaped
through interactions with others and through the norms and values constructed socially and
historically governing a person’s life 8. During high school, these stereotypes are a basis for
social categories and groups which distinguish adolescents. This notion was investigated in
the questionnaire where it was revealed that 50% of participants had been stereotyped in high
school 9. Of this 50%, 57.9% were females, demonstrating that females are generally more
likely to be stereotyped than males 10. 52.6% also felt that they did not perform behaviours
that are categorised within this stereotype 11. This exemplifies that stereotypes in high school
are generally not a true reflection of the actual person as they are oversimplified based on
societal norms.
Typical stereotypes within high school can include; ‘jock’, ‘nerd’, ‘class clown’, ‘outcast’,
‘queen bee’ and ‘emo’, although this is only a small sample. These stereotypes are premised
on assumptions of sporting ability, academic achievement, social behaviour, physical
appearance, social status, race and gender. When participants were presented with images of
particular stereotypes within the focus group, they were asked to give their opinions on the
typical behaviours associated with these stereotypes. For example, an image of a teenage
male wearing a varsity jacket, holding a basketball and talking to a female from an American
movie was presented. Male participant 1 described him as a “jock, American basketball
superstar, the cool kid” 12. Female participant 1 stated “He’s cool, popular, he’s a bully
maybe, or he could be just a bit of a charmer” demonstrating that the female participant
looked beyond the ‘typical’ behaviours of the stereotype and questioned whether everyone
actually behaves in their associated stereotyped behaviours 13. All participants in the focus
group agreed that the male in the image is ‘cool’ or ‘popular’ based on his sporting ability,
clothing and social class within the high school education system 14. This corresponds with
the results of the content analysis where it was found that the teen male sportstar character
from both Mean Girls (2004) and The Breakfast Club (1985) was also seen as ‘cool’ and
7
Questionnaire, 2019
8
Creswell, 2012; Moss & Petrie, 2002
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Questionnaire, 2019
10
Questionnaire, 2019
11
Questionnaire, 2019
12
Focus Group, 2019
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Focus Group, 2019
14
Focus Group, 2019
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‘popular’ due to their looks, sporting ability and friendship group 15. Particular groups or
individuals being stereotyped based on appearance and behaviours is a common trend which
is also validated by the questionnaire, where respondents were asked to describe typical
behaviours associated with a stereotype. For example, the ‘jock’ was described as ‘the cool
kid’, ‘excellent at sports’, and one respondent even pointed out that ‘people assume that you
are not intelligent if you are into sports’ 16. Thus, it can be gleaned from all the research
analysed that whether we are aware or not, we categorise people based on their behaviour and
how they fit into a stereotype.
Despite stereotypes in high school being very evident and generalised, there are various
differences regarding gender and how these have changed or continued over time. The role of
the media provides perceptions of these stereotypes that have undergone change over time.
For instance, in the content analysis it was found that the portrayal of ‘the popular girl’
stereotype underwent change from a self-centred, rich yet quite reserved female student in
The Breakfast Club (1985) to a still self-centred and rich but more cruel female in Mean Girls
(2004) 17. Whilst the core qualities of the stereotype had been continued on for many
generations, there were changes due to the changes in society and the high school system.
The questionnaire results found that 50% of respondents believed that stereotypes had
changed overtime 18. These were due to changes such as an increase in a demand for higher
academic achievement due to the evolution into an information driven society, an increase in
the variety of stereotypes, or an increase in media awareness of stereotypes and how it
impacts individuals. The other 50% of respondents believed it had remained the same for
reasons such as students have continued to be judgemental, the ‘popular kids’ were
previously not seen as academically intelligent compared to today’s age where ‘popular kids’
are seen as often becoming successful, or bullying has continued and perhaps even increased
19
.
15
Content Analysis, 2019
16
Questionnaire. 2019
17
Content Analysis, 2019
18
Questionnaire, 2019
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Questionnaire, 2019
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In regard to gender, secondary research is “ consistent with the idea that members of high
status groups (men) are less likely than low status individuals (women) to buffer their
self-esteem by strongly endorsing positive stereotypes and by minimizing negative
stereotypes regarding their social groups” 20. In contrast, when asked in the focus group if
genders reacted differently to stereotypes, both male and female participants agreed that it is
relatively equal in their own experiences 21. This questioned the findings from the secondary
research. The results of the focus group could potentially be inaccurate as participants may
not have wanted to admit how they truly think or feel, and it was a relatively small sample
size. However, it is still quite valid and useful as there were equal numbers of males and
females which allowed for an even view from both genders. Thus, stereotypes in high school
have evolved in some ways yet also remained prominent in the high school system. Gender
can sometimes have an influence on how these stereotypes have been endorsed in society.
Therefore, there are various stereotypes of high school students which have a major role in
the high school system and the individual’s identity. These stereotypes are determined from a
range of factors such as race, gender, socioeconomic status, appearance and values which
place individuals in a category in which others perceive them by. The findings from both
primary and secondary research found that stereotypes have evolved due to changing values
and beliefs in the macro world that filter down into the meso world of the school system. The
results from this research came to the conclusion that stereotypes are very prominent in high
school yet are often unrealistic reflections of an individual's true identity.
20
007 p. 16
Rowley, Kurtz-Costes, Mistry & Feagans, Gender stereotypes…., 2
21
Focus Group, 2019
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Chapter 2: The Portrayal of High School Stereotypes
Within the Media
The media, including social media, television shows and films, play a huge role in how
stereotypes are presented and perpetuated within high school. Stereotypes within the media
present unrealistic ideas of teenage behaviour, cliques and physical characteristics. This can
be seen in high school movies, in particular The Breakfast Club (1985) and Mean Girls
(2004). These films show that whilst stereotypes have been present across generations, they
have evolved over time to incorporate the changing values and progression of society.
Despite changes, the media has played a major role in how high school stereotypes are
viewed in society over generations. Due to this major influence, it has led to significant
impacts on individuals within the high school system, such as behaviour and self-identity.
Portrayals of high school stereotypes in the media are generally unrealistic perceptions which
have a great impact on youth. A content analysis was conducted to analyse how high school
stereotypes are portrayed in the film industry over time. The Breakfast Club (1985) depicts
five high school stereotypes from their respective ‘cliques’; a jock, a nerd, a trouble maker, a
princess, and an outcast. The film depicts both genders quite equally, with both male and
female stereotypes being presented. An example of how a stereotype is presented in the film
is the ‘nerd’, who portrays his stereotype through his clothing, wearing his shirt tucked in
with neatly combed hair. He also boasts about being “in the math club, the Latin club and the
physics club” and has a lisp 22. The film portrays exaggerated stereotypes as normal which
can be seen to some extent in real high schools, yet the behaviour of these stereotypes are an
overly exaggerated and generalised reflection of these actual teenagers in society 23. The
media, in particular The Breakfast Club, commonly portrays these high school cliques as
normal teenage characteristics 24. However, these are unrealistic depictions that can
negatively impact teenagers as they strive to look and behave as these stereotypes do in the
media.
22
Content Analysis, 2019
23
Content Analysis, 2019
24
Ehlers, High school stereotypes in media hurt teens, 2018
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Over time, the portrayal of high school stereotypes in the media has intensified as they are
more readily shown in society. This is evident through the film Mean Girls (2004) which also
depicts stereotypes of high school cliques such as ‘the plastics’, the ‘jock’ and the ‘outcast’.
The ‘plastics’ are the modernised version of the ‘princess’; blonde, beautiful, glamorous,
wealthy. The outcast describes the leader of the plastics; “And evil takes a human form in
Regina George, don’t be fooled, she may seem like your typical selfish, backstabbing, s**t
faced, h** bag, but in reality she is so much more than that. She’s the queen bee, the star” 25.
The jock is portrayed as the good-looking popular guy whom all the girls in the film wish to
date, although only the ‘plastics’ actually get to. This sends a message to youth watching the
film the kind of man that women want and this may further influence both men and women to
change their behaviours or personality to fit into these stereotypes as it is seen as ‘cool’ and
likeable. The ‘outcast’ is depicted wearing black clothing and seen as a ‘goth’ due to a
rumour the ‘plastics’ began which separates her from the high school cliques. The outcast
labels on the cliques within the high school; “Where you sit in the cafeteria is crucial. You
got your freshmen, preps, JV jocks, asian nerds, cool asians, varsity jocks, unfriendly black
hotties, girls who eat their feelings, girls who don't eat anything, desperate wannabes,
burnouts, sexually active band geeks, the greatest people you will ever meet (Janice &
Damian/ the ‘outcasts’) and the worst, beware of the plastics” 26. Here, the ‘outcast’
stereotypes demonstrate non conformity from the typical high school ‘cliques’, which
perpetuates the notion that outcasts don’t conform with the rest of society’s norms. This
further demonstrates how the film has labelled every person in the school as a certain
stereotype depending on who they associate with, what they look like, and their behaviours.
The stereotypes portrayed in this film still were present back in 1985, portrayed in The
Breakfast Club, yet even more stereotypes were introduced 27. This reflects how society has
developed even more labels and social cliques in high school over time. These
representations have a great influence on adolescents, which is supported by the
questionnaire as 65.8% of respondents believed that behaviours associated with stereotypes
came from the media’s depictions 28. Furthermore, the focus group was also consistent with
this, with all participants agreeing that the media plays a key role in adolescent’s ideas and
25
Mean Girls, 2004
26
Mean Girls, 2004
27
Content Analysis, 2019
28
Questionnaire, 2019
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behaviours of stereotypes 29. Thus, the portrayal of high school stereotypes within the media
has both changed and stayed the same over time, with a growing impact on adolescents.
Portrayals of high school stereotypes in the media have a major role in the education system
due to its immense influence in the everyday lives of adolescents. These portrayals and the
amount of influence the media has, has impacted adolescents’ high school experience and self
identity as they further develop into adulthood. The amount of influence the media has on
adolescents can be seen through the questionnaire, where 65.8% of respondents said they
believe ideas of behaviours of stereotypes comes from movies and TV shows 30. Furthermore,
when respondents were asked if they believed stereotypes portrayed in the media were true
representations of stereotypes in real life, 42.1% said no, 34.2% said yes, and 23.7% were
unsure 31. This reflects that the majority of respondents didn’t believe that stereotypes in the
media are unrealistic and overly dramatised representations of stereotypes within high school.
However, those adolescents who do admire and try to fit in with these false representations
can have effects that significantly impact on their own lives . For example, the ‘outcast’ or
‘troublemaker’ stereotypes portrayed in the media, which society often portrays as normal
teenage behaviour, can have negative impacts on both the adolescent and their parents.
Parents expect teen behavior portrayed in media, such as acting out, breaking curfew,
sleeping in, losing interest and motivation in school, partying and drinking. Thus, stereotypes
can become an excuse for poor decision-making because the media commonly portrays it as a
nother impact of high school stereotypes in the media is
normal teenage characteristic 32. A
that the unrealistic standards of appearances can lead to self-esteem and self-identity issues.
Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist and teen and family expert, explains that teenagers
don’t have a consistent appearance, such as pimples. Their fictional idols in the media, who
are typically played by adults, don’t share these same problems. “That leads to all kinds of
body-image and social-comparison issues... And we know that social comparison can be a
thief of joy” 33. When asked in the focus group if the media truly represents stereotypes in
29
Focus Group, 2019
30
Questionnaire, 2019
31
Questionnaire, 2019
32
Ehlers, High school stereotypes…., 2018
33
Greenberg, 2017 cited in Ehlers, High school stereotypes…., 2018 p.2
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real life, one female participant raised the point that the stereotypes portrayed in the media
are not as common today as adolescents have become more aware of the effects of
stereotyping others 34. Furthermore, the respondent believed that high school ‘cliques’ are still
present today as adolescents generally socialise with those who have similar interests, yet
they believed the restricting labels have reduced as adolescents have become more accepting
of each other's differences 35. Therefore, conclusions drawn from both primary and secondary
research support that the unrealistic depictions of teenage behavior, cliques and physical
characteristics in media have a significant impact on high school teenagers.
The media plays an important role in how stereotypes are portrayed within the high school
system. The findings from both primary and secondary research came to the conclusion that
high school stereotypes within the media are unrealistic representations of behaviours,
appearances, and social ‘cliques’. This was seen in the films The Breakfast Club (1985) and
Mean Girls (2004) which demonstrated how stereotypes have evolved and become more
varied yet also remained prominent in high school. Due to the media’s important role in how
high school stereotypes are present in society, it has major impacts on adolescents behaviour
and self-identity as they are continually influenced by the media’s representations of
stereotypes everyday.
34
Focus Group, 2019
35
Focus Group, 2019
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Chapter 3: Impacts of Stereotypes on Adolescents
Stereotypes within the high school education system can have significant impacts on
adolescents, which generally have a greater impact on females over males. Stereotypes can
initially have great impact on high school student’s behaviours, attitudes, and academic
achievements within their high school environment. As these stereotypes become internalised
and conformed to by the individual, it can have detrimental underlying impacts on their sense
of self and identity. This stereotype then becomes a social category in which the individual is
indefitnely placed by the rest of society. This can have long term impacts on the individual’s
future career choices, opportunities, and self perception as they progress into adulthood.
Thus, high school stereotypes have great initial, underlying, and long term impacts on
adolescents.
Stereotypes within high school can have detrimental initial impacts on individuals’ academic
achievement, behaviour and attitudes. In a study on the impact of labelling in childhood on
the sense of self of young adults it was found that there was an initial negative impact on the
lives of the young adults during their childhood and early teenage years and that there were
no significant gender differences in the impact of the labels 36. These labels, whether based on
race, gender, academic achievement or social ‘cliques’, affects how people see both
themselves and others within the high school community. For example, stereotyping and
labelling based on academic achievement, such as being stereotyped as a ‘nerd’ due to high
grades, greatly impacts the individual’s academic achievement, which can sometimes be
positive. Research found that “positive attitudes lead to higher academic achievement, while
negative attitudes lead to lower academic achievement” 37. Simarlily, in the questionnaire,
one respondent responded positively to being stereotyped as a ‘nerd’, which influenced them
to perform better academically. On the other hand, another respondent responded negatively
to being stereotyped as a ‘popular girl’, which influenced them to perform worse
academically as they felt compelled to do so to “fit in” 38. Once individuals are categorized
as members of a particular group, the stereotype of that group influences the impression of
36
015
Solomon, The Impact of Labeling in Childhood on the Sense of Self of Young Adults, 2
37
Igbo, J. N., Onu, V. C., & Obiyo, N. O., Impact of Gender Stereotype…., 2015
38
Questionnaire, 2019
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these individuals involved 39. The stereotypes associated with female students are widely
believed to be less successful academically and are viewed as such by teachers, parents and
other students. This can often cause increased stress and anxiety related to academic success,
or have the opposite effect where the individual loses motivation to perform well
academically 40. For example, if parents and teachers believe that females are not good in the
sciences, the tendency for the female students is to lose interest in science to conform to that
stereotype. Similarly, the primary research reinforced this idea, with 42.1% of respondents
from the questionnaire stating that they have felt compelled to change their behaviour or
personality to fit into their stereotype 41. Overall, it is found that stereotypes have a great
initial impact on adolescent’s behaviour, attitudes and achievement, which is found to impact
gender equivalently.
These initial impacts on adolescents can have underlying impacts that can be internalised into
the individual’s self concept and identity. Stereotypes take away from possibilities to branch
out and grow as individuals 42. For example, assuming that the star quarterback for the high
school is a jock can limit him into the role of the jock, even if he wants to be a part of the
school chorus. Stereotype threat refers to being at risk of confirming, as self-characteristic, a
negative stereotype about one's group 43. The individual, over time, sees themselves no longer
as an individual but as the group in which society has categorised them. To assess this
through primary research, participants in the questionnaire were asked how being stereotyped
affected their self esteem, self expression and behaviour in high school. 47.3% of respondents
responded that it negatively affected them to some extent in terms of their self esteem, feeling
isolated, changing their behaviours to ‘fit in’ with the stereotype, withdrawing from friends
and peers, and found difficulty socialising with new people 44. Of these respondents,
approximately 68% were females, demonstrating that stereotypes can have a greater impact
on female’s self esteem and self expression than males 45. Adolescents can internalise these
stereotypes and can often become the centre of an individual’s character. Internalisation is
39
G. N. Martin, 2007 cited in Igbo, J. N., Onu, V. C., & Obiyo, N. O., Impact of Gender Stereotype….,
2015
40
Beasley, How High School Stereotypes Hurt Teens, 2018
41
Questionnaire, 2019
42
Duczeminski, The Effects of Stereotyping in Schools, 2019
43
Steele & Aronson, 1995 cited in Duczeminski, The Effects of Stereotyping…., 2019
44
Questionnaire, 2019
45
Questionnaire, 2019
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taking an idea and making it apart of the individual’s very well-being, attitude, beliefs, and
actions. With stereotyping, an individual’s own self- concepts are reflections of others’
conceptions of them 46. It’s a way society, in particular the high school system, molds people
to fit into a category or ‘clique’. Once someone receives a label or stereotype, they are
expected to fulfill it and not deviate from it. Deviation ultimately is behavior outside of what
is considered normal by society 47. Through societal reaction of isolation and rejection, the
individual is left with no choice but to persevere in the stereotyped ways since society does
not afford them the opportunity to perform any other role aside from the one conferred on
them 48. Adolescents are not allowed to develop their personalities and identities without
significant influence from other students, parents and teachers. “When their ideal identity is
put into question through peer pressure and stereotyping, it can lead to an identity crisis that
can have vast mental health repercussions” 49. Stereotypes can also lead to bullying, with one
study finding that one of the biggest contributors to high school bullying is stereotypes 50.
“Students stereotype other students as being weak, ‘weird,’ or as falling into some clique.
Aggressive students then base their dislike and bullying of other students on these stereotypes
without ever getting to know the truth of who the students are” 51. Similarly, students not
being stereotyped can also feel isolated and disenfranchised. The high school stereotypes
portrayed by the media which students, parents and teachers expect do not encompass all
students. For example, a heterosexual male student who does not excel in sports, or
academically, or doesn’t have an interest in extracurricular activities may feel as if they don’t
belong at all in school or society in general. This can lead to damaged self-esteem, which
could further lead to depression and suicidal tendencies 52. Therefore, stereotypes can have
significant underlying impacts on individual’s sense of self and identity.
As adolescents progress into adulthood, being stereotyped within high school can have
detrimental long term impacts that can be carried through their adult life. The process of
stereotyping can have an effect on a person's social identity that they will carry with them for
46
Garcia, Labels and its effects…., 2013
47
Garcia, Labels and its effects…., 2013
48
Solomon, The Impact of Labeling in Childhood on the Sense of Self of Young Adults, 2015
49
Beasley, How High School Stereotypes…., 2018 p. 3
50
Wessler & De Andrade, 2006 cited in Beasley, H ow High School Stereotypes…., 2018
51
Beasley, How High School Stereotypes…., 2018 p. 1
52
Beasley, How High School Stereotypes…., 2018
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a lifetime, especially for females. The adolescent becomes what they are stereotyped as over
time. Once they have received their ‘identity’ in highschool, they have to learn to live with
the label, even if it wasn’t a true reflection of themselves 53. Further effects of these
stereotypes include social rejection, role expectations and lowered expectations of the
individual 54. Stereotypes in high school are extremely harmful to students as it can raise the
risk of depression, anxiety, and suicide, which can directly affect their future career choices
and opportunities as adults 55. Studies have shown that gender stereotypes have a direct
impact on the future career choices of high school students. One such study showed that most
female students did not choose career paths based on prestige, monetary potential, or ability
to succeed, but rather on interest 56. This is thought to be due to the gender stereotypes that
they are not as likely to succeed in high power careers as men. However, other research
results showed that although there was evidence of initial negative impacts on the lives of the
young adults during their childhood and early teenage years, as they progressed into their late
teens and early adulthood, most were able to overcome their negative stereotypes 57. This
suggests resilience by the individuals and that stereotypes don’t always control the lives of
students forever. Thus, stereotypes can have detrimental impacts on adolescents as they
progress into adulthood, yet these can also be overcome by individuals after high school and
therefore reduce the impact on adult life.
Therefore, primary and secondary research indicates that high school stereotypes can have
immense impacts on adolescents. The research shows that these stereotypes can have initial
impacts on the behaviours, attitudes and academic achievement of adolescents. Adolescents
are then at risk of conforming to and then internalising the stereotype which can have
significant underlying impacts on their identity and self concept. If the adolescent does not
deviate away from the stereotype, it can lead to long term impacts, such as career
opportunities or even mental disorders, which can carry on into the student’s adult life. If the
adolescent chooses to conform to a stereotype, it may have substantial effects on their high
school life and individual identity.
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Inderbitzen, 2003 cited in Garcia, Labels and its effects…., 2013
54
Solomon, The Impact of Labeling…., 2015
55
Beasley, How High School Stereotypes…., 2018
56
Dick & Rallis, Factors and Influences on High School Students' Career Choices, 1991
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Solomon, The Impact of Labeling…., 2015
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Conclusion
This PIP allowed me to understand that stereotypes present in high school and perpetuated by
the media provide confining expectations which can impact an individual’s sense of self and
social interactions. Chapter 1 disclosed that whilst change has occurred, high school still
epitomizes many stereotypes. This was learnt through the support of my primary research of
questionnaire and focus group and through exploring a variety of secondary research.
Furthermore, chapter 2 proved that the media has a significant role in upholding stereotypes
which influence societal attitudes on adolescents and their ‘cliques’ in high school. I was able
to explore the role of the media in perpetuating stereotypes through conducting a content
analysis and exploring secondary data that had also researched various forms of the media’s
role in influencing high school stereotypes. Finally, chapter 3 ultimately exposed the
consequences of high school stereotyping by highlighting how the pressure to conform to the
norms of an individual’s associated stereotype continues to persist and thereby affects
identity, behaviours, and their high school experience as a whole.
Whilst change has occurred, it has been discovered that the high school system still continues
to epitomize various stereotypes. Evaluating the cross-cultural component of gender
illuminated that gender gave different experiences to stereotyping, yet there was no
significant differences in the amount of stereotyping and level of impact. I could have
pursued a greater cross-cultural comparison by researching further into the differences
stereotypes have on gender. The cross-cultural comparison could have been enhanced by
further research into other cultures that aren’t western by nature, which could have provided
different evidence to examine the wider effect of stereotypes across worldwide cultures. The
topic was also highly relevant in evaluating that the media and technologies used as a
medium to access the media inevitably impact upon our norms and ideas. As the media has
an immense form of power on today’s society, its representations of high school stereotypes
transposes to the norms and ideals of the macro world, which filters into the meso world of
school, then entering the micro world by impacting each individual’s ideas and behaviours.
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This PIP has proven that stereotypes within high school, whether originating from peer
group’s ideas or media influence, are generally unrealistic depictions of various cultures,
behaviours, and attitudes which underpin stereotypes. I have personally realised that whilst
assumptions and labels may originate from the differences in people in society, they are
ultimately over generalised and can place individuals in a label which is expected to be
conformed to, regardless if it is truly who they are. In facing obstacles with conducting
research, filtering secondary research and time management, I was able to work on these
aspects harder to overcome them which overall enhanced my final product. The research
conducted was highly effective in demonstrating that high school provides an opportunity in
which individuals can reconsider concepts of identity and values that are embedded within
the origins of stereotypes. Therefore, the research has the ability to challenge unrealistic
stereotypes of various groups in high school, whilst demonstrating that those whom are
stereotyped in society are capable of overcoming the label and maintaining their true identity.
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Annotated Resource List: Primary Sources
Focus Group
A focus group was chosen to receive in-depth, qualitative answers by a small group of high
school students to support my ideas in my PIP. The focus group was conducted through
collecting data from a planned discussion of my topic held by a group of 3 males and 3
females between the ages of 16-18. The results of the focus group were consistent with the
idea that stereotypes play a major role in the high school system and are often over
generalised and unrealistic representations of adolescents in high school. The research
conducted is quite valid as gender was represented equally which helped with receiving data
to cross-culturally compare throughout my PIP. However, the validity is reduced as I could
have conducted research on a sample with a greater age range, students from different high
schools, or students from different cultures to ensure another perspective other than western,
which I would do if I could conduct the focus group again.
Questionnaire
A questionnaire was chosen to obtain both qualitative and quantitative data from a large
sample of respondents of both genders for my cross-cultural component and a variety of ages
for my continuity and change component. The results of the questionnaire were extremely
helpful to my PIP as it provided personal experiences and opinions with stereotypes which
supported ideas from secondary research that stereotypes have an immense role and impacts
on adolescent’s high school experiences and lives overall. The questionnaire was very valid
as I remained unbiased and neutral in my questions and ensuring all questions were clear
before submitting to the respondents. However, the validity was compromised by respondents
answering inappropriately and not seriously. I overcame this by ignoring those responses,
however this reduced my sample size and thus reduced the range and validity of the data. If I
was to conduct the questionnaire again, I would have asked more questions because as I
continued writing my PIP, I discovered more ideas that I could have covered in my
questionnaire which would have increased the amount of evidence to support my ideas
throughout my PIP.
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Content Analysis
A content analysis was chosen to analyse and interpret the representations of stereotypes
within films over time. This was conducted by analysing The Breakfast Club (1985) and
Mean Girls (2004) which discovered that stereotypes presented in the media are often
unrealistic depictions of real high school students. The content analysis helped my PIP’s
continuity and change component as I was able to explore how the media’s representation of
stereotypes has evolved yet also remained prominent in high schools over time. To conduct a
reliable and valid content analysis, I refrained from inflicting my own bias through using
evidence only from the films and not including my own opinions on the topic. If I was to
conduct a content analysis again, I would have used it as a quantitative method as well as
qualitative to obtain data and statistics to support my PIP.
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Annotated Resource List: Secondary Sources
Articles
Beasley, N. (2018). How High School Stereotypes Hurt Teens | Betterhelp. Retrieved
from
[Link]
This article discussed the various effects of stereotypes on teenagers, such as bullying, stress,
isolation, identity crisis, academic achievement, and future career choices. The strengths of
this source was that it discussed a wide range of impacts, providing examples and evidence
from other studies. There is relatively low bias as the author, Beasley N, has experience
researching and examining behaviour and psychology, and has written several books and
publications on these topics. This source is valid as it is written very recently and references
other sources used. Therefore, the source was very reliable to my PIP and was extremely
useful to chapter 3 as I was able to use a variety of the source’s examples and ideas to support
my own argument on how stereotypes in high school impact teenagers.
Duczeminski, M. (2019). The Effects of Stereotyping in Schools. [online] seattlepi.
Available at: [Link]
[Accessed 4 Feb. 2019].
This source discusses what stereotypes are in schools and the implications of these on
students, as well as what teachers can do to help students in these situations. Key concepts
and ideas covered were persons, identity, self-concept, and stereotypes. The writer of the
source is a school teacher, which means that all statements in the source are most likely
sourced from personal experience rather than academic research and primary research
evidence, which could mean there is potential bias. Due to this, the reader needs to be aware
that this is reliable from the writer’s own experience, however it is not valid to be used as a
generalisation for all students. Strengths of the source is that it provides relevant information
on generic stereotypes in schools and how they impact the individual both in school and their
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identity. Limitations of the article is that it doesn’t provide any evidence or other sources to
support their statements. This article was useful to my research as it gave an insight into
stereotypes in high schools and how these impact individuals which I can use to support my
discussions in my PIP.
Ehlers, S. (2018). High school stereotypes in media hurt teens. Retrieved from
[Link]
eens/
This article presented arguments on how high school stereotypes portrayed in the media can
negatively impact teens. The validity of this source is reduced as it is an opinion article,
written by S Ehlers who is an opinion editor for a news, arts, and opinion article website. This
could potentially lead to the author’s own bias reflected in the article. However, the reliability
of the source is increased and the bias is reduced as the article references valid sources
throughout to support key claims, such as Greenberg, a clinical psychologist who researches
teenagers. Overall, this source was very useful for my chapter 2 to provide evidence on the
various impacts that the media’s representation of stereotypes can have on adolescents.
High school stereotypes, cliques and misfits? Not in University. (2013). Retrieved 1
August 2019, from
[Link]
its-not-in-university/
This source discusses how high school stereotypes deteriorate in university and how students
are able to celebrate their differences rather than be labelled and criticised for them. This was
useful to provide a student perspective, as it was written by a university student blogger, on
how they view the long term impacts of stereotypes. However, the validity of the source is
limited as the author’s last name is not provided, which leaves the author’s purpose, and
potential bias, unknown. Therefore, this source was reliable in providing insight to a student
opinion, but not to be used as valid evidence to support major claims.
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Miller, D. (2017). "Stereotypes can hold boys back in school, too" —
[Link]
This source discusseses secondary studies and researches on the difference in genders in
achievement at school and how stereotypes affect these. The article was written by Professor
Miller of psychology in the US, posted on a non-profit academic article site which suggests it
is a reliable and valid article. The validity is also increased as the article is fairly recent which
gives the most recent information and research. The strengths of the article were that it
provided a range of studies and evidence to offer different arguments. It also offered a less
popular perspective on negative stereotypes of males. The limitations were that it did not
clearly reference all sources used. This article was useful to my PIP, particularly for my
cross-cultural component of gender stereotypes in the education system.
Journal Articles
Dick, T., & Rallis, S. (1991). Factors and Influences on High School Students' Career
Choices. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 22(4), 281-292.
doi:10.2307/749273
This source was relevant to my research as it showed that gender stereotypes have a direct
impact on the future career choices of high school students. This was conducted by a survey
of a random sample of 2213 high school seniors in the U.S. of both genders and a variety of
socioeconomic levels and races. Due to the large and wide variety of the sample size, the
article is quite reliable in assessing the long term impact of stereotypes. The validity is
decreased as the journal article is not very recent, however the research in the article is the
most recent found that examines this specific impact of stereotypes. The potential for bias is
limited as the research sample was chosen randomly from various high schools in different
socioeconomic areas, and all other sources used were referenced. Thus, this source was very
reliable and useful to support my ideas in chapter 3.
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Garcia, T. (2013). Labels and its effects on deviance: correlation between internalization
and deviance.
[Link]
The source focused on the internalisation of a label and its role on deviance an individual
participates in throughout their life, especially high school students using questionnaires as
research. The results showed the lower the internalisation of negative labels, the lower the
deviance rate. The source could contain bias from opinions of researchers and respondents as
well as respondents might not have answered truthfully because of being scared they will get
into trouble or regret. Strengths were it included statistics to back up the main points and used
a variety of respondents from different areas. Limitations or weaknesses were it did not
specify the labels used. It was somewhat useful to my research as it contained information on
the negative impacts of labels (such as crime and deviance), but did not look at the positive
impacts of labels. I can overcome this limitation by conducting my own research on the
positive impacts as well as researching other articles that look at both positive and negative
sides to impacts.
Igbo, J. N., Onu, V. C., & Obiyo, N. O. (2015). Impact of Gender Stereotype on
Secondary School Students’ Self-Concept and Academic Achievement. SAGE Open.
[Link]
The focus of this source was discussed and answered by a questionnaire conducted of
secondary students in Nigeria. Key concepts and ideas covered were gender roles,
stereotypes, self-concept, gender, persons, socialisation and the environment. The findings of
the study found that stereotypes had a great influence on students, with a greater influence on
females than males. The source and questionnaire conducted was validated by three teachers
who gave their opinions and suggestions to improve it. It is also quite valid as it has been
published fairly recently. To assess the reliability of the source, trial tests were run and means
and standard deviations were applied to analyse the data and generalise findings. The author
declared no potential conflicts of research or bias on the research, authorship or publication of
the article. Strengths of the source were that it included primary research data and findings
and included secondary sources to back up key arguments. Limitations of the source were
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that it only focused on public schools and not private and that it was focused on Nigeria not
worldwide. This source was extremely useful to my PIP as it very similar to my focus in
looking at stereotypes’ impact on students. Even though it is not directly related to Australia,
it was useful in terms of looking at a worldwide perception of stereotypes and the subjects
examined in terms of academic achievement are subjects that are still studied in Australia.
Kurtz-Costes, B., Rowley, S. J., Harris-Britt, A., & Woods, T. A. (2008). Gender
stereotypes about mathematics and science and self-perceptions of ability in late
childhood and early adolescence. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly (1982-), 386-409.
The source researches children’s stereotypes in maths and science and how they impact
identity through primary research of questionnaires to gain both quantitative and qualitative
results. The findings showed that stereotypes represented boy’s academic capabilities in
mathematics and science in favour over the girls. There could be possible bias and unreliable
evidence from the accounts of students used in the research. The strengths were that it
provided an extensive, detailed research into the focus. The limitations were that it only
focused on achievement in mathematics and science, not a wide range of subjects, which
doesn’t give a clear picture of overall academic ability. This source was quite relative to my
PIP in exploring different gender stereotypes in schools.
Rowley, S. J., Kurtz-Costes, B., Mistry, R., & Feagans, L. (2007). Social status as a
predictor of race and gender stereotypes in late childhood and early adolescence. Social
Development, 16(1), 150-168.
The goal of the study was to examine African American and White American children's
academic, music and sports stereotypes, with particular interest in gender and social status.
The main concepts and ideas covered were academic, racial and gender stereotypes and social
status. The research conducted of students from both groups found that girls and African
American children were less likely to endorse and more likely to be impacted by stereotypes
than boys and white children. There could be potential bias in the beliefs and opinions of the
students examined because of their own upbringing on their sense of self as well as how they
perceive other races and genders. However, it was quite reliable and valid due to it coming
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from actual primary research data. A strength was it conducted research to form conclusions
in an educated, academic response. A limitation of the study was that it did not explore the
racial context of the school. Another limitation was that it looked at different ages of students
to look at changes over time, rather than examining the same students as they aged. It was
quite useful in my research as it looked at varying factors of stereotypes of students such as
race, gender and social status.
Samkange, W. (2015). THE ROLE OF LABELLING IN EDUCATION: A FOCUS ON
EXCEPTIONAL LEARNERS. Global Journal of Advanced Research, 1( 2), 1419-1424.
The source examines approaches to labels, arguments for and against labelling, and the
teacher’s role in labelling of students with special needs. The source was written for
educational purposes by a senior lecturer at Zimbabwe University which will increase the
validity of the source. It also listed the sources used throughout the article, which were many,
suggesting it is quite reliable and has a relatively low chance of bias. The strengths of the
article was that it looked at various approaches and arguments, showing for and against and
then forming conclusions based on all sides. The limitations were that it did not conduct any
primary research to support key arguments, which takes away from its validity. It provided
relevant information on labelling for my research, however only focused on students with
disabilities rather than all students, finding it largely irrelevant to my research.
Solomon, R. (2015). The Impact of Labeling in Childhood on the Sense of Self of Young
Adults. Faculty of Social Sciences, Brock University St. Catharines, Ontario
[Link]
This source explored labeling, sense of self, identity, gender and deviance in childhood and
young adulthood. Data gathered through interviews of teenagers and young adults showed a
negative impact of labels during teenage years, but they were able to overcome these in
adulthood. The source was very reliable and valid as it is a recent article that provides recent
and referenced secondary sources to show statistics and findings. There could possibly be
bias from the respondents answers but is unlikely because it was used for an academic study
and all answers remained anonymous. Strengths of the source was that it provided detailed
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descriptions of labels, why people label and its effects on the particular respondent’s
relationships, identity, behaviour, and career decisions later in life. Limitations were it didn’t
analyse culture, and the sample studied may not be representative of all youths. It was
particularly useful to my PIP as it looked on the impacts of labels not just in childhood, but
also later in life.
Reports
Killen, M., Rutland, A., & Ruck, M. D. (2011). Promoting equity, tolerance, and justice
in childhood. Social Policy Report, 25(4), 1-33.
This source focuses on raising awareness on discrimination, prejudice and expectations
towards children and how this affects their well-being. The source is valid as it is written by
qualified professors, Killen M, Rutland A, and Ruck M, from a non-profit government
organisation to raise awareness on these key issues. It is also reliable and quite unbiased as all
secondary sources used to support the article are referenced appropriately. The strengths of
the source is that it provides samples and diagrams to visually represent evidence and
findings. The limitations of the source is that it only looked at children rather than both
children and adolescents and how this impacts them later in life. This source was helpful and
relevant to the research of my PIP as it provided extensive research findings and information
on prejudice and discrimination in micro, meso and macro society, relating directly to the key
concepts I will be using throughout my PIP.
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