Beyond STEM: The invisible career expectations of Asian American high school students.

Abstract

The overrepresentation of Asian Americans in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) occupations can render invisible the early experiences of Asian Americans in other fields. In this study, we provide a national and longitudinal portrait of the occupational expectations of Asian Americans (n = 2,340) in high school and their postsecondary years. Multinomial logistic regression models confirm Asian Americans hold high occupational expectations in STEM fields overall. However, longitudinal results also reveal high occupational expectations in arts and sports in Grade 9 that decrease and occupational expectations in business and management that begin low but increase after high school. These longitudinal trends are similar for other students but reveal career trajectories of Asian Americans that receive less attention among researchers. Results show little evidence of misalignment between Asian American occupational expectations and academic subject interests in high school. Gaps in occupational expectations between students categorized as English Learner (EL) and those who are not (non-EL) are also mostly attenuated when accounting for individual and parent backgrounds. The study has implications for supporting Asian American youth interested in non-STEM fields, complicating a characterization of Asian Americans as model minorities uniformly predisposed for STEM fields, and improving Asian American career visibility beyond STEM.

Rendered invisible: Are Asian Americans a model or a marginalized minority?

“…Perhaps the most fundamental theme of the special issue centers around the insidious ways in which the model minority myth has shaped the Asian American experience. For example, using a large, nationally representative sample of high school students, Cooc and Kim (2021) empirically demonstrate that Asian American adolescents have far more nuanced career interests, expectations, and paths than might be understood from the model minority stereotype that pigeon-holes Asian Americans as singularly STEM focused. Hwang (2021) also directly interrogates the dangerous role that stereotypes (model minority, in addition to perpetual foreigner objectification and gendered conceptions of beauty) can have on Asian Americans, through mechanisms of internalized oppression that not only devalue the self but also one’s community and coethnics.…”

Improving Access to STEM for Girls of Color through Community Programs

“…Regarding the focus groups, the community youth workers reported being cognizant of the fact that girls of color can benefit from exposure to STEM enrichment activities that occur outside of school because these non-school activities allow for more "doing" and emphasize creativity and real-world applications in a grade-free environment (Dasgupta & Stout, 2014). Although we found that Asian American girls were especially likely to report being interested in STEM, there is evidence that they too often question their own STEM competence (Cooc & Kim, 2021) and are subject to stereotypical views and attitudes that limit their STEM opportunities (Paik et al, 2018). Thus, these girls should be included in any effort to promote interest and engagement in STEM for girls of color.…”

From margin to center: An Asian Americanist psychology.

“…While some Asian Americans benefit from selective immigration laws and family resources, many do not. By resisting a focus on model minority stereotypes, psychologists can make visible Asian Americans of differing social classes and employment backgrounds in terms of health (Kim et al, 2021), education (Cooc & Kim, 2021; Luthar et al, 2021), and employment (Tu & Okazaki, 2021).…”