Abstract

VALE, Isabel do  and  TEIXEIRA, Maria Odília. Children’s stories, gender stereotypes, and children vocational self-concept: an exploratory study. Rev. bras. orientac. prof [online]. 2025, vol.26, n.2, pp.159-168.  Epub Dec 08, 2025. ISSN 1984-7270.  https://doi.org/10.26707/1984-7270/2025v26n0203.

This study analyzes the role of characters in children’s narratives conveyed by the media in shaping vocational self-concepts and gender roles. Using a qualitative approach, the “My Career Story” (Life Design) was adapted for children, to explore relationships between the child’s sex, the preferred characters’ sex, the characteristics attributed to these characters, professional aspirations, and academic self-efficacy beliefs of seven primary school children. Thematic analysis revealed patterns consistent with gender stereotypes, especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) and HEED (Health care, Elementary Education, Domestic roles), socially associated with male and female genders, respectively. The study clarifies the role of vicarious learning in vocational selfconcept and discusses its educational implications.

Keywords : gender stereotypes; academic self-efficacy; career aspirations; children’s fictional characters; childhood.

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