Project Overview
The study addresses the role that childhood experiences play on both adult gender identity and expression, as well as the widespread impact of these early experiences on adulthood life trajectories. Specifically, this study investigated people’s experiences during childhood with regards to gendered expectations and stereotypes.
The study also addresses adults’ current relationships with gender identity and expression, as well as other life choices including hobbies and career choices with consideration to gender stereotypes.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted to discuss participants’ childhood experiences and potential exposure to gender stereotypes. By exploring these scenarios, the study provided a deeper understanding of whether individuals believe gendered expectations in their childhood impacted their adult decisions regarding gender identity, expression, hobbies, or career choices. The results of the study inform the potential to develop interventions, where necessary, to encourage discussions of gender expression or identity, as well as of stereotypes that may present themselves within hobby or career choices resulting from childhood.
Data Collection Overview
The study author conducted semi-structured interviews with 8 adult participants as part of undergraduate thesis work. Participants were recruited via opportunity sampling, with the only criteria being they must be aged 18-30 years old and in the UK. The interviews took place on video calling platforms (TEAMs, Skype, Zoom) and lasted a maximum of 90 minutes. The participants were asked a number of prompt questions in order to explore the research topics in further detail. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, then analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis through a social learning theory lens, and the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti. All data collected from the participants were de-identified at source through the application of a randomly assigned name (pseudonym).
Upon completion of the interview, participants were sent a debrief form with any relevant support contact details and information on how to withdraw their information up to 14 days after the interview should they wish to do so. The raw data were only available to the researcher who transcribed the recordings personally. The data were transcribed at the researcher’s home on a personal laptop that is password protected by the researcher. Data sharing permission was not sought from participants, which is why full transcripts are not being shared.
Selection and Organization of Shared Data
The only data file included in this project is of sampled interview transcript quotes, categorized by designated research themes. The themes were developed through the identification of recurring information throughout interviews, which worked to answer the three research questions:
- What is the participants’ current relationship with gender expression and identity?
- What personal experiences do participants’ recall about their childhood with regards to gendered expectations and stereotypes?
- How do the participants’ childhood experiences relate to their current sense of identity, gender expression and life choices?
The themes were narrowed down during further data analysis when considering the current body of literature and understanding of the social learning theory to identify two final themes – (1) hegemonic gender stereotypes and (2) pressures and divides in sport.
The documentation files include the participant consent form, this data narrative and an administrative README file. |