Perceived Ability Under Challenge, Gender, and Race: Evidence of Impacts on Participation in Mathematics-Intensive Fields

• In Event: 72.029 - Student Perception and Performance in STEM

Abstract

The study seeks to elucidate the relationships between perceived ability under challenge, race/ethnicity and gender intersections, and mathematics-intensive postsecondary major selection and degree completion. Perceived ability under challenge is currently defined as students’ assessments of their ability to complete work they perceive as difficult in a domain of study (Authors, 2015). Using nationally representative Education Longitudinal Study (ELS) 2002/2012 data including Postsecondary Education Transcript Study (PETS) data, we estimate a series of bivariate and multiple logistic regression models to understand how perceived ability under challenge correlate with outcomes in the PEMC fields, and if gender and race/ethnicity together influence the magnitude or directionality of those main relationships. Preliminary results show more significant differences between gender, rather than between race/ethnicity categories.

Authors

• Samantha Nix, Florida State University

• Lara Perez-Felkner, Florida State University