Gendered Pathways: How Mathematics Ability Beliefs Shape Secondary and Postsecondary Course and Degree Field Choices

Abstract

Do mathematics ability beliefs explain gender gaps in the physical science, engineering, mathematics, and computer science fields (PEMC) and other science fields? We leverage U.S. nationally representative longitudinal data to estimate gendered differences in girls' and boys' perceptions of mathematics ability with the most difficult or challenging material. Our analyses examine the potentially interacting effects of gender and these ability beliefs on students' pathways to scientific careers. Specifically, we study how beliefs about ability with challenging mathematics influence girls' and boys' choices to pursue PEMC degrees, evaluating educational milestones over a 6-year period: advanced science course completion in secondary school and postsecondary major retention and selection. Our findings indicate even at the same levels of observed ability, girls' mathematics ability beliefs under challenge are markedly lower than those of boys. These beliefs matter over time, potentially tripling girls' chances of majoring in PEMC sciences, over and above biological science fields, all else being equal. Implications and potential interventions are discussed.

Women, Community Colleges, and STEM Careers

“…Although some women may use such dynamics as motivation to persist, others may find it detrimental and depart from the STEM path (Wang, Sun, et al, 2019). This reinforces previous scholarship pointing to selfperceptions of ability or self-efficacy in math and science as a strong factor shaping the STEM pathway and related experiences and outcomes for women (e.g., Beyer, 1990;Correll, 2001;Perez-Felkner, Nix, & Thomas, 2017;Sax, Kanny, Riggers-Piehl, Whang, & Paulson, 2015).…”

The Status of Women in STEM in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature 2007–2017

“…Wang and Degol (2013, 305) provide the definition as "the STEM pathway is composed of a series of choices and achievements that commence in childhood and adolescence." It is not enough to simply spark early interest in STEM areas (Seaton 2011, 6) or ensure a strong belief in mathematical ability (Nix, Perez-Felkner, and Thomas 2015;Perez-Felkneri, Nix, and Thomas 2017) before students consider a STEM career. Institutions must follow up on these pathways with gender-neutral recruitment messages (Krome 2016) showing current and prospective STEM students that they will have every opportunity to succeed with strong messages supporting themes of inclusiveness of gender, race, and privilege (Osei-Kofi and Torres 2015).…”

Conceptualizing the Field: Higher Education Research on the STEM Gender Gap

“…Rather, they argue, there are distinct dimensions to the STEM gender gap, specific to particular field clusters (e.g., life sciences), individual STEM disciplines (e.g., chemistry), and specific disciplines (e.g., mechanical versus civic engineering). In multiple studies with colleagues using nationally representative U.S. longitudinal cohorts, we found distinct effects for women in physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science as compared to other STEM fields (e.g., Perez‐Felkner, McDonald, Schneider, & Grogan, ; Perez‐Felkner, Nix, & Thomas, ; Perez‐Felkner, Thomas, Nix, Hopkins, & D'Sa, ). Sax and Newhouse (Chapter 3) further detail and delineate distinctions among STEM fields and field clusters.…”

“…Nationally, U.S. girls rate their mathematics ability lower than their male peers do (Correll, ); women underrate their abilities (Beyer, , ). This is true even when their mathematics standardized test scores are identical, with consequences for undergraduate major selection (Perez‐Felkner et al., ). Some have argued that gender differences in STEM may be biologically driven, as men's mathematics ability is more variant than women's, on both on the lower and upper tails of the distribution (Hedges & Nowell, ).…”