Conference Program

Democratic education requires more than just formal equality; it also demands the development of social and emotional competencies that allow students to actively participate in collective life as equals. Within the OECD framework on social and emotional skills (OECD, 2019; 2023), these competencies are conceptualised as measurable and malleable traits based on the Big Five model (Costa & McCrae, 1985; John & Srivastava, 1999) that are strongly linked to educational attainment, well-being, and life outcomes (Heckman & Kautz, 2014; Roberts et al., 2007). At the same time, gender stereotypes emerge early in childhood and progressively consolidate through socialisation processes, influencing expectations, aspirations, and self-efficacy (Bian et al., 2018; Makarova et al., 2019; Trautner et al., 2005). As socio-emotional skills are teachable and context-sensitive (OECD, 2019; World Health Organization, 1997), they may interact with stereotypes, shaping distinct developmental profiles. From a critical perspective, gender stereotypes can therefore be understood as relational and emotional schemas embedded in educational environments that could limit democratic participation and epistemic recognition.

Against this backdrop, this paper investigates whether gender stereotyping among Italian students is systematically associated with social-emotional skills (SESS), and whether endorsement of stereotypes varies by gender and territorial context.

We construct a synthetic index of gender stereotyping using data from the ENRICH project (approximately 6,000 students) and an adapted version of the Gender-Stereotyped Attitude Scale for Children (GASC; Liben & Signorella, 1985). This index ranges from 0 (no endorsement of stereotypes) to 1 (full endorsement of stereotypes). We examined its association with nine SESS dimensions: Open-mindedness (Curiosity and Creativity), Task performance (Perseverance and Responsibility), Engaging with others (Sociability and Assertiveness), Collaboration (Empathy) and Emotional Regulation (Stress resistance and Optimism).

Pearson correlations reveal systematic and statistically significant associations. Higher endorsement of stereotypes is negatively correlated with Curiosity (r = −0.185), Creativity (r = −0.116), Perseverance (r = −0.129), Responsibility (r = −0.170), Empathy (r = −0.217), Sociability (r = −0.042) and Optimism (r = −0.038) (p < 0.001). The strongest negative association is with Empathy. Conversely, stereotyping is positively associated with Assertiveness (r = 0.133) and Stress resistance (r = 0.090).

Regression analyses confirm these patterns. Empathy (β = −0.152), Responsibility (β = −0.107), Curiosity (β = −0.060) and Creativity (β = −0.055) emerged as robust negative predictors, while Assertiveness (β = 0.112) and Stress resistance (β = 0.077) showed positive associations. When gender is added to the analysis, a strong independent effect is revealed (β = −0.217, p < 0.001), indicating significantly lower stereotype endorsement among girls. The effects of territorial macro-areas are comparatively smaller.

Overall, the findings suggest that gender stereotyping is systematically associated with particular socio-emotional traits. Therefore, addressing sexist stereotypes in school contexts requires cognitive deconstruction and deliberate pedagogical investment in empathy, responsibility, and openness — core competencies for democratic coexistence and epistemic justice.