Divergence in children's gender stereotypes and motivation across STEM fields
Allison Master1, Andrew N Meltzoff2,3, Daijiazi Tang1,4
1Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204.
Summary
Gender stereotypes in STEM fields show divergence: computer science and engineering favor boys, while math and science are more equitable or favor girls. This impacts student motivation and educational equity.
Area of Science:
- Education
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Traditional stereotypes associate STEM fields with males.
- Previous research often treated STEM as a monolithic entity regarding gender stereotypes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate gender stereotypes across different STEM disciplines among K-12 students.
- To examine how these stereotypes influence students' motivation to pursue specific STEM fields.
Main Methods:
- Two preregistered studies conducted with 2,765 students in Grades 1-12 across the United States.
- Analysis of gender stereotypes concerning computer science, engineering, math, and science.
Main Results:
- Significant divergence in gender stereotypes across STEM fields was observed.
- Computer science and engineering stereotypes favored boys more than math and science stereotypes.
- Stereotype divergence was present from elementary school through high school and predicted motivation differences.
Conclusions:
- Gender stereotypes in STEM are not uniform and vary by discipline.
- These field-specific stereotypes have implications for educational equity and the need for targeted interventions.
- Understanding stereotype nuances is crucial for encouraging diverse student participation in STEM.
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