4. Gender- und Diversity Forschungstag an der RPTU

On doing research through feminist lenses

Dr. Clara Mendoza-Lera (Fachbereich Natur- und Umweltwissenschaften, iES, Environmental Physics Group, Stream Biogeochemistry Team Leader Lecture/presentation)

Pursuing a career in STEM requires work and dedication, it is a creative process that can be often frustrating and challenging. For diverse researchers there is an additional aspect to work around. STEM and academia mirror the patriarchal structures of the society, shaping whose knowledge is prioritized and whose perspectives are marginalized, where decision-making, recognition, and authority have historically favored white cis men and influenced research agendas and institutional cultures. Here, combining current research with my research on diversity in academia and my own experiences as biogeochemist, I will talk about how my career in STEM has been shaped by growing awareness of how academia is influenced by social structures, particularly those linked to gender, power and colonialism. Over time, adopting an intersectional feminist perspective helped me to critically reflect on my own position and role as diverse researcher, and on the ways academic structures and culture shape our experience and performance in STEM; while also encouraging me to recognize my own responsibility as a role model.

The overlooked consequences of physical femininity threat in women: Evidence from three experimental studies

Helena Wesnitzer & Melanie C. Steffens (Fachbereich Psychologie)

In social psychological research, femininity is often portrayed as a stable and biologically grounded identity, whereas masculinity is conceptualized as a fragile social status and has inspired extensive research. However, the central role of appearance in women’s constructions of femininity challenges this assumption. Across three experiments (N = 688), the present research examined women’s psychological responses to physical femininity threat, operationalized as false feedback generated by an artificial intelligence indicating that an uploaded facial photo had been analyzed as below average in feminine appearance. Consistent with our hypotheses, threatening femininity feedback was associated with increased anxiety, anger, and shame as well as decreased positive affect, indicating strong emotional responses to a perceived threat to women’s physical femininity. We found no evidence for the expected changes in self-esteem, guilt, or public discomfort. Exploratory analyses in Main Study I suggested that the femininity threat made women feel less feminine and less attractive, which in turn was linked to more negative psychological responses. In Main Study II, this pattern was found only among women who generally evaluated their appearance less positively. Overall, our findings suggest that femininity threats targeting women’s appearance elicit meaningful emotional distress. Future research should broaden gender threat research beyond masculinity and recognize the central role of appearance in women’s experiences of femininity.

Lokita, 16, tot – Zum Zusammenhang von Mobilität, Raum und Agency im Migrationskino der Brüder Dardenne

Lars Henk (Fachbereich Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften, Institut für fremdsprachliche Philologien, Fach Romanistik)

Der Vortrag untersucht TORI ET LOKITA (2022) von Jean-Pierre und Luc Dardenne als filmische Reflexion fragiler Teilhabe im Kontext von Flucht und Migration. Im Zentrum steht die These, dass die Dardenne-Brüder gesellschaftliche Marginalisierung vor allem über Raumordnungen und Formen eingeschränkter Mobilität ins Bild setzen: Die Protagonistin Lokita bewegt sich durch „Nicht-Orte“, die keine stabilen sozialen Beziehungen und damit keine gesellschaftliche Teilhabe ermöglichen. Unter Rückgriff auf Hannah Arendt, Michel Agier und Marc Augé deutet das Kapitel diese Räume als „Wüsten“ sozialer Weltlosigkeit, in denen Geflüchtete ihrer Agency beraubt werden. Besonders die Marihuana-Plantage, auf der Lokita arbeitet, um gefälschte Aufenthaltspapiere zu bekommen, fungiert als kontrollierter Raum, der Lokitas Bewegungen auf vorgegebene Wege reduziert und ihre Handlungsfähigkeit systematisch einschränkt. Demgegenüber erscheint die Mobilität ihres ‚Bruders‘ Tori kurzfristig als Versuch, soziale Nähe, Solidarität und Handlungsmacht zurückzugewinnen, ohne die strukturellen Machtverhältnisse überwinden zu können. Die ästhetische Gestaltung – etwa lange Einstellungen und die Fixierung auf Lokitas Gesicht – bindet schließlich auch das Publikum in diese Erfahrung von Ohnmacht und verweigerter Teilhabe ein.

White, skinny, and androgynous: Narrow prototypes of nonbinary people

Z. Ferguson (Fachbereich Psychologie, Arbeitsgruppe Sozial- und Wirtschaftspsychologie)

Gender non-affirmation microaggressions (e.g., identity denial, misgendering) predict negative mental and health outcomes. People have strong prototypes (typical representations) of cis-gender and binary transgender people, and are more likely to engage in identity denial when targets don’t conform to gender prototypes. Overall, nonbinary people perceived as having less valid identities than binary trans and cisgender men and women, which may place them at heighten risk for identity denial. This mixed-methods project documented nonbinary prototypes and consequences of non-prototypicality for nonbinary people’s experiences. In Study 1, participants (50% LGBTQ+, 50%cisgender-heterosexual) pictured and described a nonbinary person. Through qualitative coding, a consistent prototype emerged that was not moderated by participant identity. Study 2 examined consequences of non-prototypicality. Participants (majority cisgender-heterosexual) viewed either a prototypical or non-prototypical nonbinary target. Non-prototypical targets were less likely to be recognized as nonbinary and more likely to be misgendered. However identity and autonomy denial outcomes showed mixed results. Study 3: Nonbinary participants rated their self-perceived and societally-defined prototypicality. Both measures of predicted greater in-group ties to the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, self-perceived prototypicality predicted greater well-being but also more frequent interpersonal microaggressions and healthcare discrimination. Taken together, while prototypicality inconsistently predicted outcomes in an experimental design, gathering data on the lived experiences of nonbinary people themselves revealed a clearer pattern. Additionally, there appears to be both positive and negative consequences of being perceived as prototypical of a stigmatized group. Finally, it’s imperative that we consider both in-group and out-group perspectives when it comes to research on societal biases.

Pädagogische Beziehungen & Grenzgänge im Kontext getrennt- und gemischtgeschlechtlichen Sportunterrichts

Isabel Neto Carvalho (Fachbereich Sozialwissenschaften, Allgemeine Pädagogik mit Schwerpunkt Schulpädagogik)

Der Beziehungsaspekt von Lehrer-Schüler-Interaktionen wird als wirkmächtiger Teil schulischen Lernens, aber auch als „ein unerledigtes bildungs- und schulpolitisches Thema ersten Ranges“ (Herrmann & Oswald 2022: 8) eingeordnet.

Der Diskurs legt auf der einen Seite nahe, dass pädagogische Beziehungen Grenzüberschreitungen brauchen, um von den Akteur:innen als gelungen wahrgenommen zu werden. Inbezugnahmen auf die Lebenswelt der Schüler:innen sowie auch eine damit verbundene Zunahme affektiver Elemente in der professionellen Handlungspraxis (vormals als pädagogischer Eros bezeichnet), öffnen Lernhorizonte und machen Schule zum „heimatlichen Ort”. Gleichzeitig postulieren Professionstheorien, dass die Forderung nach solchen Öffnungen von Schule in der schulbezogenen Pädagogik risikobehaftet sei, weil sie die Grenzen hin zu einer Familiarisierung von Schule weiter diffundiert und zu Entgrenzungen im Lehrer:innenhandeln führt, wenn dieses mit diffusen Handlungsbezügen aufgeladen wird. Das professionelle Handeln und die pädagogische Beziehungsarbeit unterliegen dadurch gesteigerten Anforderungen, wenn offenbleibt, wo der pädagogische Takt endet bzw. in erhöhtem Maße „Permissivität“ (Wernet 2003) sowie eine differenzsensible Handlungspraxis erforderlich wird. Damit wird das Thema Beziehungsarbeit in Schule und Unterricht prekär, insofern es für Lehrpersonen immer auch mit Gratwanderungen verbunden ist.

Der Vortrag nimmt diese Gratwanderungen zum Ausgangspunkt und fragt aus gendertheoretischer Perspektive, wie Lehrpersonen pädagogische Beziehungen als „Grenzgänger:innen“ ausgestalten. Dabei wird zunächst das Spannungsfeld zwischen der Notwendigkeit der Grenzüberschreitungen einerseits und Begrenzungen des professionellen Handelns andererseits aufgespannt. Wie zeigt sich diese pädagogische Gratwanderung nun in besonders vulnerablen Lehr-Lern-Settings? Durch die körperliche Exponiertheit, die erschwerten Möglichkeiten des schülerseitigen Rückzugs und den unstrukturierten Raum der Sporthalle erscheint der Sportunterricht als Ort besonders prekärer Beziehungsgestaltung (z.B. Hunger & Böhlke 2017). Aus einer praxeologischen Perspektive (Reckwitz 2003) und anhand im Rahmen einer Forschungswerkstatt zum Thema „Gender und Schule“ erhobenen Beobachtungsprotokolle zeigt der Beitrag, wie Lehrkräfte im Grenzgang oder gar durch Grenzauflösung pädagogische Beziehungen gestalten. Über Praktiken der Vergemeinschaftung wird Nähe hergestellt, durch die beispielsweise auch komplizenhafte Männlichkeitspraktiken (Connell 1999) gegenüber pädagogischen Praktiken in den Vordergrund rücken, Geschlechterstereotype reproduziert werden oder sogar sexualisierte Entgrenzungen geschehen. 

Literatur:

Connel, R. W. (1999). Der gemachte Mann. Konstruktion und Krise von Männlichkeit. Opladen: Leske und Budrich.

Hunger, I. & Böhlke, N. (2017). Über die Grenzen von Scham. Eine qualitative Studie zu (scham-) grenzüberschreitenden Situationen im Sportunterricht aus der Perspektive von Schüler/innen. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung / Forum: Qualitative SocialResearch, 18(2), Art. 2, nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs170227. FQS http://www.qualitative-research.net/

Reckwitz, A. (2003). Grundelemente einer Theorie sozialer Praktiken. Eine sozialtheoretische Perspektive. Zeitschrift für Soziologie, 32 (4), 282-301.

Wernet, A. (2003). Pädagogische Permissivität. Schulische Sozialisation und pädagogisches Handeln jenseits der Professionalisierungsfrage. Opladen: Leske und Budrich.

Building Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems: The Role of Network Density in Supporting People with Disabilities

Jurgita Butkevičienė (Vilnius University; Visiting scholar of RPTU) & Miklos Kozma (Corvinus University of Budapest)

The inclusion of people with disabilities in entrepreneurial activity has gained increasing attention in global policy agendas and international entrepreneurship research. While entrepreneurial ecosystem theory emphasises the importance of interconnected actors, institutions, and resources in fostering entrepreneurial activity, it has only recently begun to address questions of social inclusion and equitable access to entrepreneurial opportunities. This gap raises an important question: how can entrepreneurial ecosystems evolve to better support entrepreneurs with disabilities?

This study examines the role of network density in enabling more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems. Drawing on a systematic literature review of 189 peer-reviewed articles indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases, we analyse the literature through the lens of the nine attributes of thriving start-up communities.

The findings highlight that dense formal and informal networks are essential for creating inclusive opportunity structures for people with disabilities. Beyond traditional ecosystem actors such as investors, universities, and incubators, the analysis reveals the importance of idiosyncratic actors, including family members, friends, social enterprises, and advocacy organizations. These actors contribute to symbiotic relationships that foster trust, resource sharing, and social support within the ecosystem.

Based on these insights, we propose a conceptual model of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems where network density plays a crucial role in fostering collaboration among various participants. International connections broaden ecosystem opportunities by providing access to global markets and reinterpreting disability as a valuable source of diversity, resilience, and innovation in entrepreneurship.

Keywords: entrepreneurial ecosystem; network density; people with disabilities; entrepreneurship; inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem 

Scaling the Field: Computational methods, knowledge structures, and the challenges of generalization in communication research

Felipe Barreto-Storandt (Fachbereich Psychologie, IKM Group - Communication Psychology)

Can the adoption of computational methods help communication research in underrepresented countries gain broader international recognition? Or does it risk erasing the very contextual information that makes that research valuable? This question is approached through several interrelated studies.

The first studies establish an empirical baseline. Analyzing COVID-19 communication research across Brazilian and international journals, and extending that analysis to twenty years of publication patterns across Latin America and international outlets, both studies consistently find that communication research is geographically structured, topically divergent, and contextually embedded. The self-reinforcing organization of scientific fields where established methodological norms, theoretical approaches, and publication practices accumulate visibility and establish the grounds for what constitutes excellence in research lead to research developed outside those structures struggling to achieve presence in the broader field regardless of its merit.

These findings are then used as a point of departure to interrogate computational methods directly, examining whether the tools increasingly used to study communication at scale are equipped to handle the contextual complexity of countries outside the norms reveal. Preliminary findings raise fundamental questions about validity and generalizability that point toward a ever present tension at the heart of contemporary communication research.

As computational methods become further embedded in scientific practice, the question is no longer simply whether they can accommodate this diversity, but whether their rapid institutionalization can lead to hardening existing structural gaps into the infrastructure of science itself, making them progressively harder to challenge or reverse.

Little Evidence for Binegativity in the Dating Context: A Study with Heterosexual Young Adults from Germany

Dirk Kranz (Fachbereich Psychologie, Social Psychology Unit)

A common stereotype about bisexual people is that they are hypersexual and promiscuous and therefore unable or unwilling to commit to long-term romantic relationships, preferring short-term sexual relationships instead. Female bisexuality, in particular, is sexualized by heterosexual men, who believe, for example, that bisexual women are just looking for threesomes – a fantasy that is actually their own. Using a vignette approach, four studies examined how heterosexual women and men perceived potential other-gender dating partners identifying as either bisexual or heterosexual. The participants were young adults from Germany (total N = 1,273; 18-35 years; 59% women). Studies 1a and 1b used an in-person bar scenario, Study 2a and 2b an online dating app scenario. The main dependent variables were interest in a short-term versus long-term relationship. None of the studies provided clear evidence for binegativity in the dating context: decreased interest in long-term relationships with bisexual versus heterosexual targets and, particularly among male participants, increased interest in short-term versus long-term relationships with bisexual targets. The discussion centers on the appropriateness of the method (vignette approach), the selectivity of the sample (high proportion of students), and, of course, the validity of the original hypothesis. Perhaps bisexuality is less stigmatized in the context of dating nowadays than was previously thought.

How Team Communication Affects Perceptions of Inclusion in Human-AI versus Human-Only Teams

Sophie Heß, Tanja Rabl; Fachbereich Wirtschaftswissenschaften

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to evolve, AI team members are increasingly integrated into workplace teams as active virtual team members who both communicate with others and are addressed by others. This development raises an important question for diversity and inclusion research: How does team communication shape whether individuals feel included when one of their team members is an AI team member? Building on social penetration theory and contrasting expectancy violations theory with the computers as social actors paradigm, this study examines how social-oriented and task-oriented team communication affect team members’ perceived inclusion in human–AI compared to human-only teams. Perceived inclusion is the extent to which individuals experience both belongingness and uniqueness within a group. We argue that social-oriented communication strengthens perceived inclusion by providing relational cues of acceptance, warmth, and recognition, thereby supporting both belongingness and uniqueness. Task-oriented communication may also foster inclusion by coordinating contributions and signaling that team members’ ideas are valued, but its effect should be weaker because it offers fewer direct cues of interpersonal connection. We further propose that these effects may depend on team composition, because AI team members may introduce a distinct social context in which team communication is interpreted and evaluated. The study uses a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental between-subjects design, manipulating social-oriented communication, task-oriented communication, and team composition using scenario descriptions and chat logs. By linking human–AI teaming with inclusion research, the study contributes to understanding how inclusive communication can be designed in future workplaces.

Not All Men? Why Progressive Views Seem Rare (But Aren’t)

Lea L. Lorenz, Amy Bentz, Kolya Eßer, Dirk Kranz, Melanie C. Steffens (Fachbereich Psychologie, Sozial-, Umwelt-, und Wirtschaftspsychologie)

Pluralistic ignorance refers to a systematic misperception: Individuals privately reject a norm but mistakenly assume that most others accept it. This discrepancy between personal beliefs and perceived group norms can sustain attitudes and behaviors that are, in reality, less widely endorsed. Regarding gender norms, men may personally hold more progressive views (i.e., supporting gender equality, rejecting the financial provider role) while believing that other men endorse more traditional norms. This misperception can contribute to the persistence of rigid masculinity ideals. In the present research, we investigated pluralistic ignorance regarding two central masculinity norms: the expectation to be the provider and opposition to gender equality. We further tested an online intervention designed to reduce this misperception by providing accurate normative information about other men’s attitudes. Results showed clear evidence of pluralistic ignorance: men overestimated the endorsement of traditional norms among their peers. Importantly, the intervention successfully reduced these misperceptions, aligning perceived norms more closely with actual attitudes. These findings support the idea of pluralistic ignorance as a key mechanism in maintaining traditional masculinity norms. By correcting misperceived norms, interventions may weaken the social pressures that sustain these ideals. We also discuss conditions under which pluralistic ignorance might be occurring, such as during masculinity threat (i.e., experienced distress for not meeting conventional masculine gender expectations). Addressing pluralistic ignorance may thus be a promising pathway for promoting more flexible and inclusive conceptions of masculinity.

Longitudinal analyses of men’s communal engagement during the transition to fatherhood: The roles of workplace, partner dynamics and gender-related beliefs

Elena Gehringer & Melanie C. Steffens (Fachbereich Psychologie, Social, Environmental, and Economic Psychology, RPTU University Kaiserslautern-Landau, Landau, Germany)
Colette van Laar (Center for Social and Cultural Psychology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium)

Background: Although gender equality has advanced in many domains, men’s participation in care work remains limited, reflecting persistent asymmetries in gender role change. The transition to fatherhood represents an opportunity for change, as contemporary fatherhood ideals increasingly emphasize care-oriented traits. Understanding what motivates men’s communal engagement is therefore crucial.

Objective: Embedded in a broader project on the psychological dynamics of men’s transition to fatherhood, this study aims to identify predictors of fathers’ parental leave-taking by bringing together factors from multiple research domains within one longitudinal framework, thereby providing a more comprehensive analysis of the role of these factors.

Method: This Registered Report draws on longitudinal data from 113 first-time fathers, collected approximately three months before birth as well as four and twelve months postpartum. This allows us to examine how expectations and contextual factors relate to fathers’ later caregiving behavior. We examine predictors of parental leave-taking across three key domains that are often studied separately: (1) workplace climate (e.g., support, anticipated career consequences), (2) partnership dynamics (e.g., partner support, maternal gatekeeping), and (3) gender-related beliefs (e.g., fatherhood attitudes and male role prototypes). In addition, we explore whether discrepancies between fathers’ prenatal intentions and fathers’ actual involvement after birth play a role. To do so, we first analyze each domain separately to assess its contribution to fathers’ leave-taking (both whether leave is taken and its duration). We then compare and integrate key predictors across domains in a combined model to identify which factors are most strongly associated with fathers’ engagement in care work.

„Russlanddeutsche“ Jugendliche und religiöse Bildung

Constanze Elisabeth Kelava (Fachbereich Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften, Institut für Evangelische Theologie)

Religiöser und gesellschaftlicher Pluralismus prägt die gegenwärtige Migrationsgesellschaft in Deutschland maßgeblich. Während religionspädagogische Diskurse zunehmend interreligiöse Vielfalt berücksichtigen, bleibt die intrareligiöse und -konfessionelle Diversität innerhalb des Christentums häufig ein „blinder Fleck“. Dies gilt insbesondere für religiöse Prägungen im Kontext postsowjetischer Migration. Die im öffentlichen Diskurs häufig als „russlanddeutsch“ bezeichneten Migrant:innen der postsowjetischen Aussiedlermigration stellen eine bedeutende Gruppe in der pluralen religiösen Landschaft Deutschlands dar. Ihre Religiosität ist häufig – wenn auch nicht ausschließlich – in freikirchlich-evangelikalen Milieus verortet und fungiert historisch gewachsen als zentraler Bezugspunkt kultureller Identität. 

Das Dissertationsprojekt, dessen aktueller Stand auf dem Poster präsentiert werden soll, richtet sein Forschungsinteresse auf religiöse Tradierungs- und Identifikationsprozesse „russlanddeutscher“ Jugendlicher im Spannungsfeld unterschiedlicher Sozialisationsinstanzen wie Familie, Gemeinde, Schule und Medien. Besonderes Augenmerk liegt dabei auf der Entwicklung ihrer religiösen Identität im Zusammenspiel unterschiedlicher Zugehörigkeiten, Identitätsdimensionen und familiärer Migrationserfahrungen.

Das Forschungsdesign der Studie folgt der Grounded-Theory-Methodologie und stützt sich auf biographisch-narrative Interviews mit Jugendlichen als Datengrundlage. Der qualitative Zugang ermöglicht es, subjektive Sinnbildungsprozesse und individuelle Identitätskonstruktionen jenseits standardisierter Kategorien zu rekonstruieren. Der Beitrag macht intrareligiöse Diversität innerhalb migrantischer Lebenswelten sichtbar und zielt darauf ab, einen empirischen Beitrag zu einer diversitäts- und migrationssensiblen Religionspädagogik zu leisten.

Viele kleine Mückenstiche – die Folge von Alltagsdiskriminierung

Silja Bornhöft (Fachbereich Psychologie, AG Sozialpsychologie)

Personen erfahren im Alltag aus verschiedenen Gründen Diskriminierung. Die in der AG Sozialpsychologie entwickelten E-Learnings zu Themen wie: Rassismus, wohlwollendem Sexismus, Nichtbinarität, Body Shaming, psychischen Erkrankungen, uvm., laden Teilnehmende ein, Vielfalt zu erleben, zu verstehen und aktiv zu gestalten. Mithilfe von wissenschaftlichem Input zum Beispiel in Form von Begriffserklärungen, persönlichen Erfahrungsberichten Betroffener und konkreten Handlungsempfehlungen für den respektvollen Umgang mit Mitmenschen, sollen Teilnehmende für Diskriminierung sensibilisiert und damit auch Vorurteile und diskriminierendes Verhalten abgebaut werden. Bei der Posterpräsentation wird der Fokus eher beim Nichtbinaritätsmodul liegen, da dieses von mir entwickelt wurde. Aktuell werden einige der E-Learnings in Abschlussarbeiten evaluiert und überarbeitet und Teilnehmende für die zugehörigen Studien gesucht.

Projekt „Ageing Smart  – Räume intelligent gestalten“ Vorstellung Gesamtprojekt und Teilprojekte

Denis Knobe (Fachbereich Raum- und Umweltplanung, Fachgebiet Stadtsoziologie)

Das Projekt „Ageing Smart – Räume intelligent gestalten“ adressiert die geburtenstarken Jahrgänge 1955 bis 1969 ("Babyboomer"). Da diese sukzessive ins Rentenalter eintreten, sind Kommunen gefordert, altersgerechte Wohnstandorte und Versorgungstrukturen zu schaffen. In einem integrierten Ansatz bringen die Forschenden daher erstmals raumplanerische und versorgungsseitige Ansätze sowie die Sicht der „Babyboomer“ und der Kommunen zusammen. Ziel ist es, ein datengestütztes System zu entwickeln, das öffentlichen Akteur:innen als Entscheidungshilfe in ihren Planungsprozessen dient. Das Projekt beleuchtet also die besonderen Bedürfnisse einer ganz bestimmten Alterskohorte, berücksichtigt dabei jedoch auch die Diversität innerhalb dieser heterogenen Gruppe. Das Projekt läuft seit 2021 und besteht aus 10 Teilprojekten, von denen 7 zum Fachbereich Raum- und Umweltplanung der RPTU (Standort Kaiserslautern) gehören sowie ein Fachgebiet der Mathematik, das Fraunhofer IESE und das DFKI.

How does gender affect German and Spanish speakers’ noun conceptualization?

John C. Borges Gamboa (Fachbereich Sozialwissenschaften, Fachgebiet Psycholinguistics & Language Development)

Boroditsky et al. (2003) report an experiment that asked German and Spanish speakers to describe in their native language objects such as bridge (masculine in Spanish; feminine in German) and key (vice-versa). Participants used adjectives such as hard, sturdy for objects that were masculine in their language, and lovely, elegant for feminine objects, presumably showing that the object’s gender affected its conceptualization. Unfortunately, however, their full experiment was never published. In our work, we conceptually replicate the study, considering additionally the impact of age on the perception of these nouns.

Participants were German (n=36), Spanish (n=40), and English (n=40) speakers, categorized as younger (18-25 years old) and older (56-85 years old). They described (in an online experiment) 54 words (27 feminine in German and masculine in Spanish; 27 vice-versa) with the first three adjectives that came to their mind. We expected German and Spanish speakers, but not English speakers (because English does not assign genders to objects), to produce descriptions aligned with gender, and modulated by age, given older adults’ greater experience and less flexible semantic networks (Cosgrove et al., 2023).

German and English adjectives were preliminarily annotated (subjectively) on a 5-point scale (from “Strongly masculine” to “Strongly feminine”) and statistically tested. The preliminary results showed no effect of noun’s gender (failing to replicate the original experiment), but an age effect, suggesting that younger and older adults do conceptualize objects differently. For the event, we will analyze the data using annotations from a large language model, to reduce annotation subjectivity. 

Literature:

Boroditsky, L., Schmidt, L., & Phillips, W. (2003). Sex, syntax and semantics. In D. Gentner & S. Goldin-Meadow (Eds.), Language in mind: Advances in the study of language and thought (pp. 61–78). Boston Review.

Cosgrove, A. L., Beaty, R. E., Diaz, M. T., & Kenett, Y. N. (2023). Age differences in semantic network structure: Acquiring knowledge shapes semantic memory. Psychology and Aging, 38(2),87–102.