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Gender differences in the intention to study math increase with math performance

delete2023-06-27
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T
Thomas Breda *
E
Elyès Jouini
C
Clotilde Napp
DOI:10.1038/s41467-023-39079-zdelete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The authors show that there is a positive and linear relationship between the probability of intending to pursue math and math performance, and that this relationship is stronger among boys than among girls. Even though females currently outnumber males in higher education, they remain largely underrepresented in math-related fields of study, with no sign of improvement during the past decades. To better understand which students drive this underrepresentation, we use PISA 2012 data on 251,120 15-year-old students in 61 countries to analyse boys' and girls' educational intentions along the ability distribution on math assessment tests. We analyze the percentages of boys and girls intending to pursue math-related studies or careers as a function of math performance. First, we show that for both boys and girls, there is a positive and linear relation between the probability of intending to pursue math and math performance. Second, the positive relation is stronger among boys than among girls. In particular, the gender gap in student intentions to pursue math-related studies or careers is close to zero among the poorest performers in math and increases steadily with math performance. Third, as a consequence, the gender gap in math performance, to the detriment of girls, is larger among students intending to pursue math than in the general student population.
Keywords:
SCIENCE
STEREOTYPES
TECHNOLOGY
CHOICE
SEGREGATION
CAREERS
ABILITY
EXPLAIN
TRENDS
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Journal

Nature Communications cover
Nature Communications
IF:
15.7
Papers:
9.3W
Citations:
91.2W

Organization

C
centre national de la recherche scientifique (cnrs)
Scholars:
24.5W
Papers: 18.2W
Citations: 279
Paris School of Economics cover
Paris School of Economics
Scholars:
399
Papers: 485
Citations: 870