A Female Science Habitus in the Classroom and the Gender Gap in Orientations Toward STEM Fields

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 33
  In Roundtable Session: Gender in the Classroom

Abstract

This paper examines the role of the micro-situational peer climate – which we term the female science habitus – for the gender gap in academic self-concept in math and science. We apply hybrid models to data from TIMSS including 13 countries that participate with both 4th and 8th grade. Our analysis show that: 1) in most countries there is a large and significant gender gap in academic self-concept, 2) the gender gap increases from middle to high school, 3) the female science habitus in the classroom is important for girls’ self-concept though not for that of boys, and 4) taking into account the female science habitus in the classroom does not affect the gender gap in self-concept in math and science though.

Authors

• Ida Gran Andersen, Aarhus University

• Emil Smith, Aarhus University