University Students' Awareness of Different Male/Female Roles and an assessment of the School Curriculum - Part : A Curriculum Focusing on Male/Female Awareness Gaps

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the awareness of a group of university students towards different social and domestic roles based on sex difference. The subjects were male and female students of the Faculties of Education and Technology, Kumamoto University, ho took part in questionnaire from May through June 1992. The major findings were as follows : 1.About 70% of the female students reacted negatively to the traditional male/female roles ; about 70% of the male students reacted positively to such roles. 2. A large male/female gaps was found in the their awareness of dividing household duties and of the situation of women working outside the home. Female students showed a positive attitude towards shared housework, child care, caring for the aged, and working women. The biggest difference between male and female was found in attitudes to working women, the second biggest difference related to shared household duties, child care and caring for the aged showing a comparatively smaller attitude difference between the sexes. 3.The students' awareness of the existing situation showed a clear difference. The traditional awareness towards social and domestic roles could have been fostered at school as well as in daily life situations. As a result, it would seem to be necessary to re-examine the elementary and secondary school curriculum in relation to male/female roles.