Lenhart, JanJanLenhart0000-0001-6235-7396Heckel, FranziskaFranziskaHeckel2024-12-162024-12-1620251573-2762https://fis.uni-bamberg.de/handle/uniba/105453Based on the assumption that language influences thinking, the present study investigated the effect of gender-fair language in German, a grammatically gendered language among primary school children. Specifically, in a single-study experiment, we compared 218 German third and fourth graders on the effects of the generic masculine (e.g., der Polizist; English: the policeman) and gender-fair language in terms of the feminine and masculine form (e.g., die Polizistin/der Polizist; English: the policewoman/the policeman) on the cognitive representation of women in stereotypically masculine occupations and occupational self-efficacy. General self-efficacy was examined as a moderator variable, assumed to influence the effect of gender-fair language on occupational self-efficacy. The results indicate that the gender-fair form led to a higher cognitive representation of women in stereotypically masculine occupations for girls and increased girls’ occupational self-efficacy for stereotypically masculine occupations. In contrast, the use of gender-fair language did not significantly influence boys’ cognitive representation of women and their occupational self-efficacy. General self-efficacy did not affect the effect of gender-fair language on occupational self-efficacy. Thus, even as early as in primary school, gender-fair language could help attracting girls to stereotypically masculine occupations.engGender-fair languageGender stereotypesCognitive representation of womenOccupational self-efficacyPrimary school students370article10.1007/s11199-024-01552-4https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11199-024-01552-4.pdf