“Math is for Boys, Reading is for Girls”: Implicit Gender-Subject Biases, Academic Achievement, and Course-Taking Patterns

• In Event: Aspirations, Achievement, and Attainment: Unforgetting Structural Barriers

Abstract

Subject-specific gender biases (e.g., boys are more inclined toward success in math than girls) are thought to influence academic achievement and course-taking behaviors, yet little is known about how community-held biases contribute to student outcomes. Employing three nationally representative datasets spanning 2008 to 2019, this descriptive study explores the relationships among county-level implicit bias, academic achievement, and AP course-taking. Findings reveal that as the strength of implicit bias for a given county increases, both standardized test scores and the probability of enrolling in AP courses decline for male and female students in all subjects. The strongest negative associations occur for female students in math. Results suggest that strong stereotypical implicit biases may harm everyone, including groups the biases seemingly advantage.

Author

• Jacob Mitchell Rubin, Vanderbilt University