Gender and Achievement-Related Beliefs Among Engineering Students

Heyman, Gail D.; Martyna, Bryn; Bhatia, Sangeeta

doi:10.1615/jwomenminorscieneng.v8.i1.30

Cited by 55 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Namely, men and women tend to differ in their conceptions of ability. Female engineering students show greater tendency than their male counterparts to endorse the belief that engineering aptitude is a fixed entity as opposed to something that develops over time (Heyman et al 2002). Felder et al (1995) found that women were more likely than the men to attribute poor performance in engineering curriculum to their own lack of ability, while men were more likely to attribute it to a lack of hard work or being treated unfairly.…”

Section: Psychological Factors Values and Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Women may also perceive a hostile environment or differential treatment in prospective engineering programs. In general, female engineering students report greater discrimination than males-that they do not feel respected as equals, and that they more frequently experience discouraging interactions with faculty (Haines et al 2001;Heyman et al 2002;Shehab et al 2007;Suresh 2007;Vogt et al 2007).…”

Section: Perceptions Of the Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Understanding the Changing Dynamics of the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Engineering Majors: 1971–2011

Sax¹,

Kanny²,

Jacobs

et al. 2015

Res High Educ

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In this paper we examine the level and determinants of entering college students' plans to major in engineering. While the overall level of interest in engineering has fluctuated between 1971 and 2011, a very large gender gap in freshman interest remains. We find that the percent of first-year women who plan to major in engineering is roughly the same today as in the early 1980s. We estimated the impact of predictor variables for five time points : 1976, 1986, 1996, 2006 and 2011. Independent variables were grouped into eight categories: personal inputs, background characteristics, learning experiences, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, interests, contextual influences, and choice goals. We present the findings in terms of those variables that have a consistent effect on the gender gap over time, and those whose effects vary over time.

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Section: Psychological Factors Values and Preferencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Perceptions Of the Fieldmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the Changing Dynamics of the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Engineering Majors: 1971–2011

Sax¹,

Kanny²,

Jacobs

et al. 2015

Res High Educ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Reports of overt racism and sexism from professors or peers still surface, particularly from students in the physical sciences and engineering (see, for instance, Heyman, Martyna, & Bhatia, 2002). More insidious, however, is the evidence that factors associated with success in college science differ by race, ethnicity, and gender (Ferreira, 2002;Heyman et al, 2002;Huang, Taddese, & Walter, 2000;Leslie, McClure, & Oaxaca, 1998;Lips, 1995;Sax, 1994).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…More insidious, however, is the evidence that factors associated with success in college science differ by race, ethnicity, and gender (Ferreira, 2002;Heyman et al, 2002;Huang, Taddese, & Walter, 2000;Leslie, McClure, & Oaxaca, 1998;Lips, 1995;Sax, 1994). Differences have been documented in motivation for studying science, patterns in taking science and mathematics courses, succeeding in college science, and persisting in or aspiring to science careers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unintended consequences: How science professors discourage women of color

2007

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This study examined how 16 Black, Latina, and American Indian women science students reacted to their undergraduate science classes. I focused on the meanings they made of the common features of university science documented by Seymour and Hewitt (1997), including large, competitive, fast-paced classes, poor teaching, and an unsupportive culture. I also explored their responses to the values manifested in their science classes and laboratories. The research took place at a large, predominantly White research university; participants were recruited from a science enrichment program for high-achieving students. I interviewed the participants and attended science classes and laboratories with them. I analyzed the data using J. Spradley's semantic structural analysis method (1979, 1980) and validated it through triangulation and member-checking. The women in the study found three features of science classes particularly discouraging: the size of the lecture classes, asking and answering questions in class, and (in some cases) engaging in undergraduate research. They were negatively impacted by two cultural values: a narrow focus on decontextualized science and the construction of science as a gender-, ethnicityand race-neutral meritocracy.

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“…Simply put, students with better developed coping and academic control strategies and those with higher self-esteems have higher academic achievement than students who lack these dispositions (Brooks 1982;Crombie et al 2003;Heyman et al 2002;Jacobs 1996;Perry et al 2005;Sigmon et al 1995;Tamres et al 2002). This research also suggests that the psychosocial dispositions act as mediating pathways between the students' demographic characteristics (parental education, age, and gender, for example), academic programs (arts or sciences, for example), and their academic achievement in college.…”

Section: Psychosocial Variablesmentioning

confidence: 83%

Gender, Psychosocial Dispositions, and the Academic Achievement of College Students

et al. 2008

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Researchers have recently claimed that there are substantial differences in the psychosocial dispositions and academic achievement of male and female college students. To test this proposition, a sample of 854 undergraduate students were selected from a major Canadian Research-1 university. Multiple regression analyses assessed the effects of gender and several other independent variables on coping strategies, academic control, self-esteem, and grade point averages. Few differences emerged between the genders on the psychosocial dispositions or on academic achievement. The results suggest that both male and female students can improve their coping strategies and academic control, which together directly affect their academic achievement.

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Gender and Achievement-Related Beliefs Among Engineering Students

Abstract: Achievement

Cited by 55 publications

References 40 publications

Understanding the Changing Dynamics of the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Engineering Majors: 1971–2011

Understanding the Changing Dynamics of the Gender Gap in Undergraduate Engineering Majors: 1971–2011

Unintended consequences: How science professors discourage women of color

Gender, Psychosocial Dispositions, and the Academic Achievement of College Students

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