Poster #19 - Examining Students' and Parents' Gendered Beliefs About Math and Implications for College Major

• In Event: 51.082 - MTCC Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: 51.082-3 - Sociology of Education Posters

Abstract

We examine variation in gendered beliefs about math among a national sample of high school students, with the goal of understanding how students’ social and math backgrounds predict their beliefs, and whether such beliefs matter for subsequent choices of college major. In doing so, we examine not only whether beliefs that boys are better at math may deter girls from pursuing STEM majors, but also whether beliefs that girls are better at math might facilitate such a choice. Relatedly, we examine whether gendered beliefs about math are consequential for boys’ college major, a topic rarely addressed. Finally, we consider the overlap between parents’ and children’s beliefs, and the potential impact of parents’ beliefs on their children’s choice of major.

Authors

• Catherine C. Riegle-Crumb, The University of Texas

• Karisma Morton, The University of Texas at Austin