Social STEM for Girls, Technical STEM for Boys: Screen Time and Socio-Contextual Determinants of STEM Aspirations

• In Event: Digital Inequalities 3.0: New Problems and New Approaches

Abstract

This study investigates how gendered patterns of social media and video game use influence adolescents’ STEM career aspirations. While research often treats STEM as a monolithic category, this paper disaggregates aspirations into “Social-STEM” (e.g., healthcare, teaching) and “Technical-STEM” (e.g., engineering, computer science) to reveal how digital leisure activities contribute to specific professional interests. Drawing on a survey of 2,597 students in rural [anonymized], the findings demonstrate gender-specific relationships between technology use and career interest. Among girls, social media use is positively associated with Social-STEM aspirations; conversely, for boys, social media use is linked to decreased interest in these fields. Frequent video game play is a significant predictor of Technical-STEM aspirations for boys, but not for girls. Potential remedies for these disparity are discussed, including leveraging social media to foster girls’ technical interests and promoting video games that help boys develop relational skills, communication, and empathy.

Authors

• Michael J Stern, Michigan State University

• Inyoung Shin, Yale University

• Keith N. Hampton, Michigan State University