Differentiating between Women in Hard and Soft Science and Engineering Disciplines

Abstract

The intent of this study was to investigate characteristics that differentiate between women in soft (social, psychological, and life sciences) and hard (engineering, mathematics, computer science, physical science) science and engineering disciplines. Using the Beginning Postsecondary Students Longitudinal Study: 1996(2002, a descriptive discriminant analysis was performed using a set of variables known to influence educational attainment. Results indicated that women who went into the hard science and engineering fields primarily had higher SAT math scores and, to a lesser degree, had higher high school mathematics grades, higher first-year cumulative grade point average, more contact with faculty, tended to live off campus, were enrolled in public 4-year institutions, and received less parental support.

Gender representation cues labels of hard and soft sciences

“…However, it is interesting to note that many of the fields that are inconsistently categorized in previous research are often fields that do not cleanly fit into a the "women = soft science" category. For example, biological sciences have gained relative gender parity in recent years, and are categorized as hard sciences in some formulations (e.g., Biglan, 1973), and soft sciences in others (Camp et al, 2009). Similarly, economics is a social science, which would typically lead it to be categorized as a soft science but has fewer women that most other social sciences (Goldin, 2013).…”

The mathematics self-efficacy of rural central Appalachian undergraduate females.

“…Camp, Gilleland, Pearson, and Putten (2009) found that adult females who completed degrees in physical science, mathematics, computer science, and engineering fields had more frequent contact with faculty and study groups than did females who studied in social, psychological, and life sciences.…”