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Gender Associations Of American Band Instruments: Exploring And Comparing The Perceptions Of Three Age Groups, Kevin R. Merkel

Music Theses

This collection of three related studies explored the current gender-related perceptions of American band instruments. The first study investigated adults’ perceptions, as they were asked to rank instrument preferences for their hypothetical son and daughter. The second study examined the perceptions of seventh- and eighth-grade band students by allowing them to rate band instruments based on their gender perceptions. The third study investigated the perceptions and experiences of university band students related to gender norms and instruments utilizing a survey and interview process. The results provided evidence that instrument gender perceptions and stereotypes can change, and they suggest that intentional …