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The Gender-Equality Paradox in Intraindividual Academic Strengths: A Cross-Temporal Analysis
Marco Balducci1, Marie-Pier Larose1, Gijsbert Stoet2
1INVEST Research Flagship Centre, University of Turku.
Psychological Science
|September 10, 2024
Summary
Girls excel in reading and boys in math/science, a stable pattern across countries. This gender-equality paradox in academic strengths has implications for reducing sex disparities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology of Education
Background:
- Intraindividual academic strengths show sex differences: girls typically excel in reading, while boys favor mathematics or science.
- These differences are linked to educational and occupational disparities, particularly in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields.
- The gender-equality paradox suggests these sex differences are larger in more gender-equal countries, though its stability is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the stability of the gender-equality paradox in intraindividual academic strengths.
- To examine the relationship between intraindividual strengths, gender equality, and national wealth.
- To analyze implications for reducing sex disparities in STEM fields.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of academic achievement data from nearly 2.5 million adolescents.
- Utilized five waves (2006-2018) of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) across 85 countries and regions.
- Examined intraindividual strengths in reading, mathematics, and science relative to overall achievement.
Main Results:
- Girls' intraindividual strength in reading and boys' strength in mathematics and science remained stable across countries and assessment waves.
- Boys' advantage in science as an intraindividual strength was more pronounced in countries with higher gender equality.
- Girls' advantage in reading as an intraindividual strength was more pronounced in wealthier countries.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms the stability of sex differences in intraindividual academic strengths across diverse international contexts.
- Findings highlight a complex interplay between gender equality, national wealth, and the manifestation of these academic strengths.
- The results offer crucial insights for developing targeted interventions to mitigate sex disparities in STEM education and careers.
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