Development of the gFUMIE Test for Measuring Implicit Gender Stereotypes and a Preliminary Validation with Undergraduate Students Using “Doctor” and “Florist”

We developed a new paper-and-pencil method, the gender-FUMIE (gFUMIE) test, designed to conveniently measure gender stereotypes through procedures similar to those of the FUMIE test (Mori, Uchida, & Imada, 2008). A preliminary validation of its effectiveness was conducted using two typical examples of gender-stereotyped occupations: “doctor = male” and “florist = female.” The test was administered to 70 undergraduate students (41 males and 29 females). The results indicated that no clear gender stereotype was detected for “doctor,” whereas a distinct feminine stereotype was observed for “florist.” Although further verification using other occupations is necessary, the findings suggest that the adult version of the gFUMIE test is effective in detecting gender stereotypes. Furthermore, developing a children’s version of the gFUMIE test based on the same principle, it will become possible to measure gender stereotypes in younger children and to provide a new method for studying the development of gender stereotypes.