Measuring gender attitudes: Developing and testing Implicit Association Tests for adolescents in India

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 16;17(6):e0264077. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0264077. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

We develop and test gender attitude measures conducted with a school-based sample of adolescents aged 14-17 years in India. We test a measure with survey items and vignettes to capture gender-based value and stereotypes, an Implicit Association Test (IAT) capturing gender-based value, and an IAT capturing gender stereotype. All demonstrate good internal reliability, and both IATs are significantly associated with our survey measure suggesting criterion validity, though not confirming it due to the lack of a gold standard measure on gender attitudes. Finally, construct validity is indicated from the measures' positive significant associations with higher girls' mobility and education. The gender-related IAT tools developed are consistent and valid, and modestly correlated with gender-related behavior outcomes such as mobility and school enrolment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Attitude*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Stereotyping*
  • Students
  • Surveys and Questionnaires

Grants and funding

Tarun Jain received funding for this study through the Evidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality (EMERGE) Project at University of California San Diego (BMGF OPP 1163682 OPP1163682), and the International Growth Centre.