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All STEM fields are not created equal: People and things interests explain gender disparities across STEM fields
1Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University West Lafayette, IN, USA.
Frontiers in Psychology
|March 13, 2015
Summary
Gender differences in interests explain women's underrepresentation in STEM fields like engineering. Work environment orientation, not ability, influences these disparities, suggesting targeted interventions are needed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- STEM Education
Background:
- Women's representation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields is uneven.
- While overrepresented in social sciences, women remain underrepresented in engineering and other STEM sub-disciplines.
- Understanding the reasons behind this differential distribution is crucial for promoting gender equity in STEM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender differences in interests as a key factor in explaining women's underrepresentation across STEM fields.
- To analyze how these interest differences correlate with the gender composition within various STEM sub-disciplines.
- To explore the role of work environment characteristics (people- vs. things-orientation) and quantitative ability in these patterns.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a meta-analysis of norm data from 33 interest inventories published between 1964 and 2007.
- Included data from 52 samples, comprising 209,810 male and 223,268 female respondents.
- Analyzed gender differences in interests across different STEM fields and correlated them with reported gender composition.
Main Results:
- Significant gender differences in interests were observed, varying by STEM field.
- Largest interest differences favoring men were found in engineering (d = 0.83-1.21).
- Interest differences favored women in social sciences (d = -0.33) and medical services (d = -0.40).
- The gender composition in STEM fields mirrored these interest differences.
- People- and things-orientation of work environments explained these patterns, not the required quantitative ability.
Conclusions:
- Gender differences in interests significantly contribute to the differential distribution of women in STEM.
- Work environment characteristics, specifically people- versus things-orientation, are key drivers of these gendered interest patterns.
- Interventions should focus on fostering interests in STEM education and reforming work environments to enhance women's attraction and retention in STEM occupations.
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