Study Finds a Worldwide Pattern of Gender Differences in Reading and STEM Academic Strengths

A new study published in the journal Psychological Sciences has revealed a pattern of gender differences in girls and boys’ academic strengths that is consistent across the globe.

In analyzing data from nearly 2.5 million adolescents in 85 countries from 2006 to 2018, the authors found girls’ academic strength is typically reading, while boys’ academic strength is typically mathematics or science. This pattern remained consistent regardless of country or time period.

Notably, countries with greater overall gender equality, such as Finland, had a more pronounced gender difference in children’s reading and science strengths. This finding challenges a popular theory that as gender equality grows, gender roles should become less stereotypical. Instead, this result suggests gender differences could either widen or remain stable with increases in overall gender equality.

“Our results demonstrate that increasing the share of women in inorganic STEM fields will require more than improving girls’ mathematics or science competencies and overall gender equality,” write the authors. “The link between intra-individual strengths and career paths suggests that incorporating this perspective into new policies could encourage more women to enter the STEM pipeline.”

Psychological Sciences is the flagship journal of the Association for Psychological Sciences. The research team included scholars from the University of Turku in Finland, the University of Essex in England, and the University of Missouri.