2018/02/14 by Gijsbert Stoet, David C. Geary · 1 citation
Social Sciences · Psychology · Environmental Science · Mathematics · #Career Development and Diversity #Education, Achievement, and Giftedness #Environmental Education and Sustainability #Gender gap #Graduation (instrument) #Women in science #Reading (process) #Psychology #Gender equality #Science education #Academic achievement #Mathematics education #Mediation #Gender disparity #Developmental psychology #Gender studies #Social science #Political science #Mathematics #Sociology #Demographic economics
paper · doi:10.1177/0956797617741719
openalex publication_date 2018/02/14 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
The underrepresentation of girls and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields is a continual concern for social scientists and policymakers. Using an international database on adolescent achievement in science, mathematics, and reading ( N = 472,242), we showed that girls performed similarly to or better than boys in science in two of every three countries, and in nearly all countries, more girls appeared capable of college-level STEM study than had enrolled. Paradoxically, the sex differences in the magnitude of relative academic strengths and pursuit of STEM degrees rose with increases in national gender equality. The gap between boys' science achievement and girls' reading achievement relative to their mean academic performance was near universal. These sex differences in academic strengths and attitudes toward science correlated with the STEM graduation gap. A mediation analysis suggested that life-quality pressures in less gender-equal countries promote girls' and women's engagement with STEM subjects.