Poster #88 - Untangling Peer Group Influences on Girls’ Interest in STEM: Friends’ Gender Stereotypes Matter

• In Event: 2-110 - Poster Session 07
  In Poster Session: PS 07 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

For girls who are high achieving in high school math and science, peer groups can provide a supportive or antagonistic environment for STEM pursuits. The endorsement of gender stereotypical beliefs within peer groups, especially those related to the suitability of math and science careers for girls, can adversely affect girls’ interest in STEM. However, past research has not considered the varied contexts in which adolescents interact with peers and how these contexts differ with respect to gender stereotype norms. Most studies simply ask for peers’ attitudes or interests as an aggregate or focus on the influence of a single best friend. As such, these studies may obscure meaningful diversity across peer groups that might affect girls’ interest in STEM. The goal of this study is to examine how girls’ STEM career interests are associated with belonging to different types of peer groups and the perception of group gender norms.

High school students (N = 110) were recruited from advanced STEM courses from two general public schools and a math and science magnet school. Participants completed an online survey about their peer groups. Analyses focused on girls’ experiences in three groups: close friends, their science class, and another peer group that was identified as their “most important group” (MIG) from a list of peer groups generated by each student. Students provided demographic information for each group and rated their perception of the group’s gender stereotypical beliefs (Miller & Borgida, 2016). Additionally, participants rated their own stereotypical beliefs and interest in STEM careers.

Results indicated that perceived gender stereotypes differed among the three groups and the girls’ own stereotype beliefs, F(3, 67) = 6.62, p < .001. Science classes and MIGs were rated more stereotypical than close friend groups and the girls’ own beliefs. To explore further, several types of MIG’s were identified based on girls’ descriptions, with the most common being religious (youth groups), sports, arts, STEM (e.g., robotics) and service. Girls’ perceptions of gender stereotypes within these groups varied considerably, with STEM and service groups perceived as more stereotypical compared to others.

Next, factors associated with girls’ interest in STEM were examined. Higher interest in STEM careers was associated with girls selecting STEM and service groups as their MIG compared to religious or sports groups. However, girls in STEM and service groups reported their own endorsement of traditional gender stereotypes to be much lower than that of other members of these groups. Surprisingly, perceptions of stereotypes in STEM MIGs and science classes were not associated with STEM career interests. The best predictor of girls’ interest in STEM was their perception that their close friends held less stereotypical beliefs.

We conclude that there is considerable variability in girls’ perception of the gendered beliefs in different peer groups. Practitioners interested in promoting STEM interest among girls should consider experiences with friendship groups rather than narrowly focusing on STEM classroom and STEM activity groups.

Authors

• Joan Barth, University of Alabama
  Presenting Author

• Jeff Parker, The University of Alabama
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sarah Petersen, University of Alabama
  Non-Presenting Author