Putting Belonging in Context: Communal Affordances Signal Belonging in STEM

Belanger, Aimee L.; Joshi, Mansi; Fuesting, Melissa; Weisgram, Erica S.; Claypool, Heather M.; Diekman, Amanda B.

doi:10.1177/0146167219897181

Cited by 43 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 53 publications

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“…Perceptions that STEM careers are sexist may reflect revelations from the #metoo movement, for example, Susan Fowler's experiences at Uber (Fowler, 2017), which detailed evidence of widespread gender discrimination in STEM in the United States. However, their open‐ended responses were consistent with literature suggesting that environmental cues may undermine individuals’ sense of belonging in STEM (Belanger et al., 2020; Cheryan, Plaut, Davies, & Steele, 2009).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

A Mixed Method Examination of Gender Differences in Perceptions of STEM among Iranian Americans

Folberg

Kaboli‐Nejad

2020

Journal of Social Issues

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Much of the research on gender differences in STEM pursuit has been conducted on predominantly White samples in the United States and Western Europe, where women are underrepresented in STEM. Little is known about the factors that influence STEM participation in cultures where women are overrepresented in STEM, as they are in Iran (Masood, 2006). Iranian American students (N = 92) completed measures of cultural orientation, agentic and communal goal orientations and affordances, and interest in STEM and responded to open ended questions regarding their choice of major and perceptions of STEM. Stronger orientation toward Iranian culture was associated with stronger perceptions that STEM careers afforded communal goals and greater interest in STEM among women (vs. men). Qualitative responses suggested that Iranian American students perceived STEM positively and perceived STEM as providing opportunities for agentic and communal goal fulfillment. Understanding the role of culture in perceptions of STEM is necessary to understand gender and ethnic group differences in STEM pursuit. Although on average, women are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) across the globe, gender disparities in STEM are not universal. More developed nations tend to exhibit larger gender differences in STEM pursuit (Stoet & Geary, 2018). Women and men are approximately equally represented in STEM in Central Asia, Latin America, and the

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 84%

A Mixed Method Examination of Gender Differences in Perceptions of STEM among Iranian Americans

Folberg

Kaboli‐Nejad

2020

Journal of Social Issues

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“…Students who recalled science and math classrooms with more helping behaviors perceived STEM careers as affording communal goals, and in turn expressed greater interest in pursuing STEM careers (Fuesting et al, 2017). Similar effects emerged among presenters at a Women and Science Day who spontaneously varied in their emphasis on whether their scientific work included working with or helping others (Belanger et al., 2020). When middle school girls perceived that presenters focused more on communal aspects of their work, they reported more interest in pursuing science careers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Integrating communal content into science lessons: An investigation of the beliefs and attitudes of preservice teachers

Fuesting

Diekman

Bautista

2021

School Sci & Mathematics

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Developing student capacity for the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce requires not only better preparation in specific content and skills but also better preparation in understanding the goals that STEM fields can afford. In particular, stereotypic views that STEM fields lack communal opportunities to work with and help others dampen interest in pursuing STEM careers. This research project investigated preservice science teachers' (PST) beliefs about whether science careers afford communal goals, and then employed experimental methodology to assess reactions to science lessons that integrate communal content. PSTs perceived STEM fields as less likely than other fields to fulfill communal goals. Yet lesson plans that integrated communal applications were perceived as more likely to engage students. The communally‐oriented lesson plans were then further developed for dissemination. We discuss the opportunities and obstacles to integrating communal content into science education instruction.

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“…As changing stereotypes has been shown to be quite difficult (Heilman and Caleo, 2018), another fruitful road to gender equality in STEM in Germany and Japan is to reduce role and goal incongruity. An intervention to change communal goal affordances (i.e., the opportunities for goal pursuit) in STEM (Belanger et al, 2020) showed that perceiving communal goal affordances (e.g., collaborative lab activities) in STEM increased social belonging and interest, especially for women. Highlighting STEM's potential to afford communal goals might therefore alleviate goal incongruity and reduce gender-science stereotypes and backlash effects for women, because STEM is perceived as less incongruent with the female gender role.…”

Section: Theoretical and Practical Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Gender Stereotypes and Expected Backlash for Female STEM Students in Germany and Japan

Froehlich

Tsukamoto

Morinaga³

et al. 2022

Front. Educ.

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Although Germany and Japan are top-ranking in STEM, women are underrepresented in the STEM fields of physics, engineering, and computer science in both countries. The current research investigated widespread gender-science stereotypes in STEM in the two countries (Studies 1 and 2) and negative consequences of expected backlash (i.e., imagining negative reactions and lower ascribed communion in scenarios) for women’s emotions and motivation in STEM due to role incongruity and lack-of-fit (Study 3). Studies 1 (N = 87) and 2 (N = 22,556) showed that explicit and implicit gender-science stereotypes are widespread and comparable in Germany and Japan. Study 3 (N = 628) showed that lower ascribed communion was related to less positive emotions, more negative emotions and anxiety emotions, and less study motivation for STEM students (from the fields of physics, engineering, and computer science) from Germany and Japan. Results point to more subtle expected backlash effects for women in STEM than hypothesized. Theoretical and practical implications for gender equality in STEM are discussed.

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Putting Belonging in Context: Communal Affordances Signal Belonging in STEM

Cited by 43 publications

References 53 publications

A Mixed Method Examination of Gender Differences in Perceptions of STEM among Iranian Americans

A Mixed Method Examination of Gender Differences in Perceptions of STEM among Iranian Americans

Integrating communal content into science lessons: An investigation of the beliefs and attitudes of preservice teachers

Gender Stereotypes and Expected Backlash for Female STEM Students in Germany and Japan

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