In a study carried out by Abigail Norfleet James and Herbert C. Richards, University of Virginia, published in 2003 in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity. The impact of boys’ schools on the choice of arts and humanities as university majors and as hobbies is addressed.
The Boys and The Arts
The promoters of single-sex education affirm that, in the absence of girls, boys are more likely to explore subjects traditionally attributed to girls. If so, alumni of boys’ schools would show more positive attitudes toward the humanities and choose more diverse careers than their peers who graduated from co-educational schools.
The promoters of single-sex education affirm that, in the absence of girls, boys are more likely to explore subjects traditionally attributed to girls. If so, alumni of boys’ schools would show more positive attitudes toward the humanities and choose more diverse careers than their peers who graduated from co-educational schools.
In this study, male alumni (N = 412) from 3 all-male boarding schools, 3 all-male day schools, 3 co-educational boarding schools, and 3 co-educational day schools in the United States were interviewed. Each participant completed a series of questionnaires designed to explore attitudes toward subjects, college majors, and career choices. The results supported the idea that single-sex education fosters interest in the humanities in boys, and that this interest continues into college and careers.
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