Ethnic Variation in Gender-STEM Stereotypes and STEM Participation: An Intersectional Approach

STUDY 1
– African American women were significantly more likely to indicate that they intended to major in STEM than European American women.
– There was a small but significant ethnic difference in STEM participation, such that African American men were more likely to indicate that they intend to major in STEM than European American men.

STUDY 2
– African American women held weaker implicit gender-STEM stereotypes than European American women.
– African American women and European American women did not differ in their perceptions of the gendered nature of STEM fields. Both groups of women perceived that STEM is considered masculine relative to liberal arts.
– African American women were more likely than European American women to indicate that they were majoring in a STEM field.
– The total effect of ethnicity (European American vs. African American) on the tendency to major in STEM was significant. In addition, ethnicity had a significant effect on implicit gender-STEM stereotypes, and implicit gender-STEM stereotypes had a significant effect on STEM major.

STUDY 3
– African American women had weaker implicit gender-STEM stereotypes as compared with European
American women.

STUDY 4
– Implicit gender-STEM stereotypes were weaker among African American participants than European American participants.
– For participants’ perceptions about the gendering of STEM fields, the effects of ethnicity and gender were not significant. The interaction between ethnicity and gender, however, was significant.
– African American men reported lower perceived gendering of STEM fields than did European American men.
– Replicating Studies 1 and 2, African American women were more likely to major in STEM as compared with European American women.
– Inconsistent with Study 1, African American men were equally likely to major in STEM as compared with European American men.
– The total effect of ethnicity (European American vs. African American) on women’s tendency to major in STEM was significant. In addition, ethnicity had a significant effect on implicit gender-STEM stereotypes, and implicit gender-STEM stereotypes had a significant effect on STEM major.