German Teachers’ Implicit and Explicit Attitudes Toward Female and Male Muslim Students and Reactions to Social Exclusion

Abstract

Abstract. Research has shown negative teachers’ attitudes toward ethnic minority students, who – in Germany – often belong to Islam which is stereotypically associated with traditional gender roles. So far, neither implicit attitudes nor the role of student gender have been investigated in this context. Among a sample of 136 teachers, we assessed implicit attitudes toward Muslim students in relation to Christian students using an Implicit Association Test. Implicit and explicit attitudes were less positive toward male than toward female Muslim students. After reading a social exclusion scenario, teachers were asked how they would react. Teachers’ reactions depended on the religion and the gender of the student. Our study implies that Islam might be part of the disadvantages ethnic minority students experience in school.