Perceived mathematical ability under challenge: a longitudinal perspective on sex segregation among STEM degree fields

Abstract

Students' perceptions of their mathematics ability vary by gender and seem to influence science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degree choice. Related, students' perceptions during academic difficulty are increasingly studied in educational psychology, suggesting a link between such perceptions and task persistence. Despite interest in examining the gender disparities in STEM, these concepts have not been considered in tandem. In this manuscript, we investigate how perceived ability under challenge—in particular in mathematics domains—influences entry into the most sex-segregated and mathematics-intensive undergraduate degrees: physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science (PEMC). Using nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) data, we estimate the influence of perceived ability under challenging conditions on advanced high school science course taking, selection of an intended STEM major, and specific major type 2 years after high school. Demonstrating the importance of specificity when discussing how gender influences STEM career pathways, the intersecting effects of gender and perceived ability under mathematics challenge were distinct for each scientific major category. Perceived ability under challenge in secondary school varied by gender, and was highly predictive of selecting PEMC and health sciences majors. Notably, women's 12th grade perceptions of their ability under mathematics challenge increased their probability of selecting PEMC majors over and above biology. In addition, gender moderated the effect of growth mindset on students' selection of health science majors. Perceptions of ability under challenge in general and verbal domains also influenced retention in and declaration of certain STEM majors. The implications of these results are discussed, with particular attention to access to advanced scientific coursework in high school and interventions aimed at enhancing young women's perceptions of their ability, in particular in response to the potentially inhibiting influence of stereotype threat on their pathways to scientific degrees.

Gendered Pathways: How Mathematics Ability Beliefs Shape Secondary and Postsecondary Course and Degree Field Choices

“…This 10th grade gender gap in perceived ability is perhaps even more consequential than at 12th grade, because perceived ability under challenge in 10th grade is a particularly strong predictor of students' decisions to take subsequent science courses in secondary school, as we showed in the 2015 paper (Nix et al, 2015). There, we used ordered logistic regressions to predict the highest science course taken in high school.…”

“…Our recent study (Nix et al, 2015) and the new analyses we report on below respond to our central research question: How do girls' and boys' mathematics ability beliefs relate to subsequent steps on students' pathways to mathematically-intensive scientific majors, and how does this relationship vary by gender? Figure S1 represents our hypothesis that gender moderates the relationship between mathematics ability beliefs and pursuit of PEMC degrees.…”

“…In particular, we estimated the intersecting relationship between gender and perceived ability under challenging conditions on each subsequent step on the pathway to PEMC undergraduate degrees: completing advanced high school science courses, persistence in a major, and major selection (Nix et al, 2015). This focused review discusses key findings from this longitudinal study as well as additional analyses expanding on our results and their implications.…”

The Status of Women in STEM in Higher Education: A Review of the Literature 2007–2017

“…Wang and Degol (2013, 305) provide the definition as "the STEM pathway is composed of a series of choices and achievements that commence in childhood and adolescence." It is not enough to simply spark early interest in STEM areas (Seaton 2011, 6) or ensure a strong belief in mathematical ability (Nix, Perez-Felkner, and Thomas 2015;Perez-Felkneri, Nix, and Thomas 2017) before students consider a STEM career. Institutions must follow up on these pathways with gender-neutral recruitment messages (Krome 2016) showing current and prospective STEM students that they will have every opportunity to succeed with strong messages supporting themes of inclusiveness of gender, race, and privilege (Osei-Kofi and Torres 2015).…”

Guía para el diseño de un plan estratégico de marketing para el incremento de profesionales mujeres en las tecnologías de información

“…Algunos autores argumentan que las mujeres sienten que el ambiente en las clases en la universidad de profesiones de TI, donde la composición es mayoritariamente masculina, se torna poco acogedor, en algunos casos hostil y podría inhibirlas para desenvolverse bien académicamente (Ahuja, 2002;Nix, Perez-Felkner y Thomas, 2015;Sáinz y Eccles, 2012). Otro estudio que evalúa las diferencias desde una perspectiva de género con respecto a clases en línea proporciona pruebas convincentes de que los cursos en línea son de gran valor para los estudiantes no tradicionales, especialmente las mujeres estudiantes adultas con niños o responsabilidades familiares (Sullivan, 2001).…”