The Modern Canadian Family: The Content of Mother and Father Stereotypes in Diverse Family Contexts

Abstract

Considerable empirical evidence supports the existence of parental stereotypes. However, the content of these stereotypes is less clear (Valiquette-Tessier, Vandette, & Gosselin, 2015; Valiquette-Tessier, Gosselin, Thomassin, & Young, 2018). Therefore, this study aims to (a) explore stereotypes associated with divorced, step, single, same-sex and adoptive mothers and fathers, in comparison to the stereotypes associated to married mothers and fathers, and (b) assess if a set of independent variables predicts the ratings on the stereotypical content. The procedure employed in this study constitutes the most common strategy for the measurement of stereotypes, that is the three steps method (Bennett & Jamieson, 1999). To fulfill the objectives, one sample t tests and linear regressions were conducted. Results showed that married parents are highly regarded despite the parent gender, and that divorced parents are strongly negatively regarded again for both genders. Single, step, and lesbian/gay parents remain generally negatively stereotyped, despite some more positive views that have emerged here and there. Finally, adoptive parents are stereotyped in a manner that is very similar to married parents, and are even seen more positively on some aspects. On the other part, for both mothers and fathers, the gender and parental status all reached statistical significance in predicting stereotypic category a number of times. However, while age was the most often significant predictor within mothers' reduced models, it never appeared as a significant predictor within fathers' reduced models. Moreover, ethnicity was a significant predictor in many fathers' reduced models, but only reached statistical significance in a few of the mothers' reduced models. The number of times relationship status and sexual orientation came up as statistically significant is relatively similar within both mothers and fathers' models, as was educational attainment which never reach statistical significance in any of the reduced models.