Attitudes of Greek Male & Female University Students

Towards Gender Eequity

Stefania Grigoriou, Stiliani Chroni, Antonis Hatzigeorgiadis, Nikos Zourbanos, & Yannis Theodorakis

Department of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Thessaly, Trikala, Hellas

Abstract

The present paper explores university students’ attitudes towards gender equity in Greece. The sample of 396 participants had an average age of 20.49 years and included 199 male and 187 female students, 156 first year and 140 fourth year students, as well as 138 people studying in the field of physical education and 158 studying elementary teachers’ education. All participants completed the psychometrically sound Greek short version, of the Sex-Role Egalitarianism Scale (King & King, 1993), which consists of 25 items. The scale was translated and checked for the Greek language by Pavlou and Vitsilaki (2996) and Vitsilaki (2007). Analysis of variance showed significant effect for (a) gender (p <.05), where female students scored higher on gender parity than male students, and (b) academic field of study (p <.05), where students in elementary teachers’ education scored higher than the physical education students. No significant effect for year of study and no interaction were observed. The differences found in this study between male and female students; where men did not perceive women as equal and were less tolerant toward modern gender roles, are discussed as parameters in the delayed transformation of Greek society toward gender parity. The obtained differences between fields of study are discussed based on the stereotypes that characterize each field. Overall, these findings raise important questions and issues concerning the role of gender hierarchy in today’s Greek society and the role of education in nurturing our future society.

Key words: University students, physical education, teacher education, gender equity, gender roles