Reading of modern Russian children and adolescents: gender aspect

Article presents the results of all-Russian and interregional sociological, psychological and complex studies of gender differences in the reading of children and adolescents, carried out by specialists of the Russian State Children's Library over the past ten years. The studies have shown differences in the preference of reading practices for girls that are more involved in the process of reproduction of guided practices and boys that are active in the implementation of free reading practices. A special emphasis in the studies was placed on the study of the reading motives of adolescents (gender differences in attitudes towards reading in general, the structure of reading motivation for adolescent girls and adolescent boys were revealed), determining gender differences in the reading repertoire of adolescents of different gender and preferences in choosing a character, and its qualities (the preferred qualities themselves are presented and possible reasons for the appearance of gender-nonspecific qualities in the preferences of girls and boys are analyzed). The above data generally indicate that girls read more and more diversely, however, at the moment, the question remains, what causes these differences, whether changes are possible if adults broadcast other stereotypes, different attitude to reading and other practices of introducing reading, based on an understanding of the gender characteristics of adolescent readers.