Women who have not yet entered science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields underestimate how well they will perform in those fields (e.g., Correll, 2001 ; Meece, Parsons, Kaczala, & Goff, 1982). It is commonly assumed that female role models improve women’s beliefs that they can be successful in STEM. The current work tests this assumption. Two experiments varied role model gender and whether role models embody computer science stereotypes. Role model gender had no effect on success beliefs. However, women who interacted with nonstereotypical role models believed they would be more successful in computer science than those who interacted with stereotypical role models. Differences in women’s success beliefs were mediated by their perceived dissimilarity from stereotypical role models. When attempting to convey to women that they can be successful in STEM fields, role model gender may be less important than the extent to which role models embody current STEM stereotypes.

Consider recent actions by two politicians. The first campaigned for women to have equal representation in the government and pursued equal pay for women in the workplace. The second made campaign promises to reduce the gender gap in pay and used the first bill signing as a new leader to enact a law making it easier for women to recoup wages lost as a result of sexism. These politicians share something in common; they are both men (the first is French President Francois Hollande and the second is U.S. President Barack Obama). In advocating on behalf of women, Hollande and Obama each took on the role of an ally, or someone who aligns with a disadvantaged group by recognizing the need for further progress in the fight for equal rights. Allies work alongside a disadvantaged group in the search for justice. In this article, we explore the role of men who become allies by confronting sexism. We examine factors that lead men to take on the ally role and explore the effectiveness of men in this role. We also offer suggestions

The current work examines whether a brief exposure to a computer science role model who fits stereotypes of computer scientists has a lasting influence on women's interest in the field. One-hundred undergraduate women who were not computer science majors met a female or male peer role model who embodied computer science stereotypes in appearance and stated interests or the same role model who did not embody these stereotypes. Participants and role models engaged in an interaction that lasted approximately 2 minutes. Interest in majoring in computer science was assessed following the interaction and 2 weeks later outside the laboratory. Results revealed that exposure to the stereotypical role model had both an immediate and an enduring negative effect on women's interest in computer science. Differences in interest at both times were mediated by women's reduced sense of belonging in computer science upon interacting with the stereotypical role model. Gender of the role model had no effect. Whether a potential role model conveys to women a sense of belonging in the field may matter more in recruiting women into computer science than gender of the role model. Long-term negative effects of exposure to computer scientists who fit current stereotypes in the media and elsewhere may help explain current gender disparities in computer science participation.

Increasing the participation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) involves two distinct challenges. One is increasing the retention of women who are already in STEM fields. The second is increasing the recruitment of women who enter the STEM pipeline. Nilanjana Dasgupta (this issue) suggests that female role models assist in both of these efforts by improving women's performance and sense of belonging in STEM. In the current article, we conceptually differentiate recruitment from retention and propose that although female role models may be effective in the retention of women in STEM, female and male role models can be equally effective in recruitment efforts. For interventions using role models to be most effective, we must understand when female role models matter and when male role models can be just as effective. Doing so helps to ensure we are "rendering onto the right students the right intervention" (Steele, 1997, p. 624).

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