Historically, gender stereotypes about STEM have centered on men being stronger in these fields than women. Some prior studies have found these stereotypes develop in early childhood.
While these gender stereotypes are persistent in some disciplines, a new study has found that students now view women as stronger performers in certain STEM subjects.
Led by Allison Master, assistant professor in the College of Education at the University of Houston, the study authors examined survey data regarding over 2,700 elementary, middle, and high school students in New England and the South. Overall, the participating students were more likely to believe computer science and engineering are fields for men. However, participants were more likely to state women are better than men at mathematics. In general science, women were slightly favored or about the same as men. These trends held true across genders, race, and geographic location of the participants.
As academic leaders and policymakers strive to promote gender equity in STEM, the authors highlight the importance of focusing on the specific disciplines in which women remain underrepresented.
In addition to Dr. Master, the study included co-authors from the University of Houston and the University of Washington.