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

• In Event: 60.045 - Underrepresented Students and STEM

Abstract

Self-assessments of math ability vary by gender and influence STEM degree choice. Related, students’ mindset during academic difficulty has emerged as a topic in educational psychology and posits that beliefs about the malleability of math ability influences persistence during challenging situations. Despite interest in examining the gender disparities in STEM, these concepts have not been considered in tandem to investigate how perceptions of math ability under challenging conditions influence entry into the most sex segregated undergraduate degrees: physics, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. Using the nationally representative ELS 2002/2012 dataset, we estimate the influence of mindset and self-perceptions ability in challenging academic contexts on subsequent steps in the STEM pipeline: advanced high school coursework, declaring a major, and degree completion.

Authors

• Samantha Nix, Florida State University

• Lara Perez-Felkner, Florida State University

• Kirby Thomas, Florida State University