Ronaldo faces the music

Now academics are using the term in its more contemporary meaning to try to explain certain perceived tendencies - like the fact that women seem to be crap at maths test and England footballers tend to be even crapper at penalty shoot-outs (they've come out winners in only one in seven major tournaments).

Another of those 'latest reports' argues that success or failure at work, school or sport is not always down to lack of ability or incompetence. The power of stereotypes can bring poor outcomes when a person believes they'll do badly.

For instance, the common (and mistaken) belief that black athletes can only sprint. And think of the attitude behind the film title White Men Can't Jump. Women who are aware of the belief that females do badly in maths tests will end up doing badly. Ditto the England footballers - lack of self belief.

But be aware of this and you can use the stereotypes to have positive outcomes.

One part of the research isolates a common belief that Asians are good at maths. So Asian women who go in to take tests and think of themselves as Asian rather than women score very well.

Stereotyping is behind the results of yet another report concerned with how children pick which musical instrument to learn. This time it's putting people in gender boxes. Put bluntly, it's attitudes like "girls don't play guitar" and "boys don't play flute".

Fact is, learning instruments in schools tends to split into gender preferences. Only one in ten school harpists and flautists are male, but electric and bass guitars are dominated by males.

Researcher say the size of instrument (bigger for boys) its pitch (higher for girls) and physical characteristics could be partly responsible. And yet one of the biggest instruments, the harp, tends to be a girlie choice.

Some research suggests that boys prefer 'cool' instruments that pop and rock role models use while leaving classical music to the girls. Boys also like to learn in informal and social ways - playing in bedrooms with their mates - rather than attending lessons with a teacher.

It seems to be easier for a girl to cross over into the male world and play, say, a trumpet, than for a boy to opt for something like the flute.

Interestingly, James Galway, probably the most widely-known flute player on the planet, came to his instrument through family tradition. Everyone in his family played as part of the strong Belfast protestant tradition, although his youthful marching band was the first to include girls in it.

All interesting thoughts for families thinking about making music part of their children's education (essential in my view). If you are, you could do worse than visit www.bbc.co.uk/music/parents/yourchild/index.shtml - packed with useful info and links.

As a matter of record, here's how childish preferences are defined at the moment. Of all electric guitar students, 81% are boys, bass guitar the same, tuba 77%, kit drums 75% and trombone 71%. For girls it goes like this: harp 90%, flute 89%, voice 80%, fife/piccolo 79% and oboe 78%. Instruments studied equally by both boys and girls are African drums, French horn, cornet, saxophone and tenor horn.

Right, I'm now off to try to raise a grant to start my own research - on how accurate female bassoon players are with corner kicks.