Women's Representation in Science Predicts National Gender-Science Stereotypes: Evidence From 66 Nations

In the past 40 years, the proportion of women in science courses and careers has dramatically increased in some nations but not in others. Our research investigated how national differences in women's science participation related to gender-science stereotypes that associate science with men mo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational psychology 2015-08, Vol.107 (3), p.631-644
Main Authors: Miller, David I, Eagly, Alice H, Linn, Marcia C
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
Asia
Career Choice
College Science
Correlation
Cross Cultural Differences
Cross Cultural Studies
Cultural Differences
Diversity
Diversity in the Workplace
Educational Attainment
Educational Policy
Employment Level
Europe
Female
Females
Foreign Countries
Gender Bias
Gender equity
Gender Issues
Human
Human Females
Human Sex Differences
Majors (Students)
Multiple Regression Analysis
North America
Oceania
Online Surveys
Predictor Variables
Program for International Student Assessment
Researchers
Science Achievement
Science Curriculum
Science Education
Sciences
Scientists
Sex Stereotypes
South America
Stereotyped Attitudes
Stereotypes
Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study
Web Sites
Women
Women Scientists
Womens Education
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Summary:In the past 40 years, the proportion of women in science courses and careers has dramatically increased in some nations but not in others. Our research investigated how national differences in women's science participation related to gender-science stereotypes that associate science with men more than women. Data from ∼350,000 participants in 66 nations indicated that higher female enrollment in tertiary science education (community college or above) related to weaker explicit and implicit national gender-science stereotypes. Higher female employment in the researcher workforce related to weaker explicit, but not implicit, gender-science stereotypes. These relationships remained after controlling for many theoretically relevant covariates. Even nations with high overall gender equity (e.g., the Netherlands) had strong gender-science stereotypes if men dominated science fields specifically. In addition, the relationship between women's educational enrollment in science and implicit gender-science stereotypes was stronger for college-educated participants than participants without college education. Implications for instructional practices and educational policies are discussed.
ISSN:0022-0663
1939-2176
DOI:10.1037/edu0000005