2015 - Perceived Mathematical Ability under Challenge: A Longitudinal Perspective on Sex Segregation among STEM Degree Fields

Attribution: Nix, Samantha, Perez-Felkner, Lara, & Thomas, Kirby
Researchers: Kirby ThomasLara Perez-FelknerSamantha Nix
University Affiliation: Florida State University
Email: snix@fsu.edu
Research Question:
1) To what degree do domain-specific and domain-general perceptions of ability under challenge differ by gender? 2) What is the relationship between perceived ability under challenge in mathematics and advanced high school science course enrollment? 3) To what extent does perceived ability under challenge in mathematics predict staying in a STEM field as intended before entering postsecondary education? How is this relationship moderated by gender? 4) What is the relationship between perceived ability under challenge in mathematics and selection of mathematics-intensive science majors (physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science(PEMC), and how is that relationship moderated by gender?
Published: Yes
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: Frontiers in Psychology
Journal Entry: Vol. 6, Pp 1-19
Year: 2015
Findings:

– The authors found mixed support for their hypotheses that perceived ability under challenge
in mathematics is related to our outcomes of interest :completing advanced science coursework, remaining in intended STEM major fields, and selecting mathematics-intensive science majors
(PEMC).
– Perceived ability under challenge in secondary school varied by gender, and was highly predictive of selecting PEMC and health sciences majors.
– Women’s 12th grade perceptions of their ability under mathematics challenge increased their probability of selecting PEMC majors over and above biology. In addition, gender moderated the effect of growth mindset on students’ selection of health science majors.
– Perceptions of ability under challenge in general and verbal domains also influenced retention in and declaration of certain STEM majors.
– Perceived ability in verbal domains negatively predicts women’s entry into PEMC and health sciences.
– Perceived ability under mathematics challenge in 10th grade matters, and in fact was the only predictive subjective measure (i.e., beyond demographics and ability test scores) of taking advanced science coursework.
– Female gender negatively predicts advanced science course taking.
– Access to higher-level science course work is differentially distributed around the U.S.and likely
varies by the profiles of students’ high schools, not limited to region and urbanicity.

 

Scholarship Types: Journal Article Reporting Empirical ResearchKeywords: AbilityChoice of MajorCollegeGenderPerceptionsSTEMRegions: NationalMethodologies: QuantitativeResearch Designs: Secondary Survey DataAnalysis Methods: Multiple Logistic RegressionOrdered Logistic Regression Sampling Frame:High school to college students
Sampling Types: Nationally RepresentativeAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Quantitative-Panel Data
Data Description:

Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS) panel data. Their sample represents the college-going population of U.S. students who were tenth graders in the spring of 2002 and enrolled in college between 2004 and 2006. They include only students who attended either 2- and 4-year institutions by 2 years after high school. Their final analytic sample was of 4450 cases.

DVs:
– Science Pipeline- this examined the most advanced science course students took in high school. The science pipeline variable focuses on the upper end of the scale and represents students ‘completion of three levels of science coursework: (1) chemistry I or physics I or less, (2) both chemistry I and physics I, and (3) chemistry II and physics II.
– Major Retention- the intended major variable was retrospective, as students were asked 2 years after high school which field they intended on entering before starting their postsecondary educations. The major retention variable includes four categories: (1) abstainers (never intended or majored in PEMC and/or biology), (2) stayers (intended and majored in PEMC and/or biology), (3) leavers (intended but did not major in PEMC and/or biology), and (4) newcomers (did not intend but majored in PEMC and/or biology).
– Major Type- they looked specifically at students majoring in the physical sciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences (PEMC) against other STEM majors; specifically, they compare PEMC to biology, health, social/behavioral and other sciences, and non-STEM majors. They additionally compare with undecided/undeclared students, to achieve a more representative set of analyses from high school through college.

IVs:
– Perceived ability under challenge. This variable represented students’ perceptions of their ability to use mastery-oriented behavior and comfort with complex or difficult material. This variable was created using several indexes. The general index from the 10th grade survey were used to assess students’ perceived ability under challenge in general, as opposed to within a particular subject domain. The verbal index from 10th grade was related to their comfort with difficult verbal tasks and use of mastery behavior in that field. The mathematics index (10th and 12th grades) related to students’ perceptions of ability to overcome challenge in mathematics domain. Lastly, the growth mindset from 10th grade was about their level of agreement with whether or not people could learn to be good at mathematics.
– Gender
– Race
– Parent’s education
– Family income by quartiles
– Students’ ability- measured through scores on the most complex standardized mathematics and reading questions and grade point average, both in the 10th grade.
– High school contexts- measured by region and urbanicity.
– Institutional selectivity

Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:STEM Entrance and Majoring in STEM
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts