Goal Endorsement Scales

Gender differences in STEM undergraduates' vocational interests: People–thing orientation and goal affordances

“…This study extends previous research on PTO (Graziano et al, 2012) and role congruity theory (Diekman et al, 2010(Diekman et al, , 2011 to address the question of the differential representation of women across STEM fields. Students majoring in Biology, which has a larger representation of women, were compared to students in other STEM majors that have a smaller representation of women (computer science, engineering, mathematics, and the physical sciences including physics, geology, and chemistry; CEMP).…”

“…Social role theory, as well as a number of other theories (e.g., Beach, 1990Beach, , 1993Gottfredson, 1981;Mahalik, Perry, Coonerty-Femiano, Catraio, & Land, 2006;Thompson & Dahling, 2010), argues that different social expectations for men and women lead to their interest in different careers. At the heart of role congruity theory's explanation of gender differences in career choices is the tenet that women should be more attracted to caregiving and people oriented careers because these occupations are consistent with feminine gender roles and the goals associated with these roles (Diekman, Brown, Johnston, & Clark, 2010;Diekman, Clark, Johnston, Brown, & Steinberg, 2011;Diekman & Steinberg, 2013). STEM careers are generally not perceived as being helpful to others or as having a positive social impact, and this is seen as an obstacle in attracting women to these careers (also see Jones, Howe, & Rua, 2000).…”

“…STEM and other masculine careers are generally associated with affording agentic goals related to power, success, and individualism that are attractive to men. In a series of studies with primarily Introductory Psychology students, Diekman and colleagues have shown that gender differences in interest in STEM careers are mediated by the importance placed on communal goals, rather than agentic goals (Diekman et al, 2010(Diekman et al, , 2011 and that women's interest in STEM careers is higher when the communal aspects of the careers are emphasized (Diekman et al, 2011). Similarly, women in STEM fields are often found to value life goals related to helping others more than their male counterparts (Barth & ASERT, 2013;Barth, Todd, & ASERT, 2010).…”

“…Much of the research based on role congruity theory has focused on young college-aged students and communal goals related to having a positive social impact on society (e.g., Diekman et al, 2010Diekman et al, , 2011, but feminine roles related to childrearing are also associated with postbaccalaureate women leaving the STEM workforce (Ceci et al, 2009, Mason, Wolfinger, & Goulden, 2013. The work-life typically associated with a STEM career (e.g., long work hours)…”

A Social Identity Model for Education

“…However, researchers efforts to find solutions to the problem of girls disengaging from STEM generally do not seem to involve the participation of men or boys. Instead, they tend to focus on ways of linking girls more communal values to STEM subjects (Diekman, Clark, Johnston, Brown, & Steinberg, 2011) or highlighting ingroup (female) rather than outgroup (male) guides or role models (Stout, Dasgupta, Hunsinger, & McManus, 2011). Effective as they may be, these approaches do not resolve the problem of the intergroup relationship.…”