The transition from high school to college is an important choice point for the pursuit of physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) career paths, with students in the United States switching from course selection that is proscribed by state graduation requirements in high school to choosing classes and paths of study more freely in college. Here two studies examine whether social factors identified to inhibit interest in pSTEM within college students similarly affect high school students, and in particular whether these factors could contribute to gender differences in interest in pursuing pSTEM. We find a lower sense of social and ability belonging and lower self-efficacy among female than male high school students pursuing pSTEM classes. In addition, for females but not males, social belonging significantly predicts intentions to continue to pursue pSTEM, highlighting the importance of considering whether low social belonging inhibits intentions to pursue pSTEM for female but not male students. We also find that perceptions of pSTEM fields as requiring innate brilliance more than hard work selectively discourage female students from intending to further pursue pSTEM. Together the studies highlight the potential impact of both subjective self-perceptions and perceptions about pSTEM fields on students’ interest in pSTEM and further identify processes that may selectively dissuade high school females from pursuing pSTEM career paths relative to males.

Self-to-prototype matching is a strategy of mental comparisons between the self-concept and the typical or "representative" member of a group to make some judgment. Such a process might contribute to interest in pursuing a science career and, relatedly, women's underrepresentation in physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) fields. Across four studies, we measured self-scientist discrepancies on communal, agentic, and scientific dimensions, and assessed participants' interest in a science career. The most consistent predictor of science interest was the discrepancy between self and scientist on the scientific dimension (e.g., intelligent, meticulous). Study 4 established that students with larger self-scientist discrepancies also had less accurate perceptions of students pursuing science, and that inaccuracy was related to lower science interest. Thus, students with lower science interest do not just perceive scientists differently from themselves but also erroneously. Discrepancy and inaccuracy together explained a significant portion of the gender gap in pSTEM interest.

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Despite decades of research, intervention, and public discussion, and some improvements in areas such as the life and social sciences, women continue to be substantially underrepresented in physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) fields (National Science Foundation, 2017; see table 7-2). Much has been written on the topic of where this gender disparity comes from and how it can be attenuated. The specific explanations that have been proposed vary widely and are still under debate (Ceci & Williams, 2011; Riegle-Crumb et al., 2012; Williams, 2018). Proposed explanations for the gender gap in pSTEM include both social psychological factors-such as the lack of congruence between the goals afforded by pSTEM careers and the goals most commonly endorsed by women (Brown et al., 2015; Diekman et al., 2011), or women's reduced sense of belonging in pSTEM fields and classrooms (Murphy et al., 2007)-as well asmore objective concerns such as academic preparedness. Indeed, some have argued that the single most important factor in repairing the "leaky pipeline" in these fields is ensuring that underrepresented students have the academic skills and knowledge necessary for coursework in these areas (Hayes, 2017), and many