Compare and contrast two of the explanations for the gender gap in STEM, or more accurately, CEP.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Women lack interest: According to this explanation, women simply lack interest in CEP and it is a matter of free choice. This view is not supported by the research. Women can’t do the necessary math: This explanation says that women are underrepresented in fields that require a high level of mathematical skills, so they must not be very good at math. However, this view is not supported by the research that consistently shows no significant gender difference in math abilities. Hostile environment and discrimination: According to this explanation, women continue to be discriminated against in CEP due to modern sexism, including implicit attitudes held by those in power. This view is supported by the research. Role models: This view states that girls don’t aspire to CEP careers because of the absence of female, nonstereotypical role models. The research supports this theory. Self-expressive values systems: This explanation says people value jobs that allow them to express individuality and jobs they are passionate about. This is tied to the lack of interest explanation. This is a privileged value, so in less-wealthy countries, there are more women in the CEP fields because they may value money (and the resources it provides) more than self-expression in their careers. The research supports this explanation. Stereotypic attribution bias: When people are told about a situation in which a woman has a setback in a STEM field, they tend to attribute it to internal causes; whereas if a man has a setback in a STEM field, they tend to attribute it to external causes. This explanation is supported by the data. The belief in geniuses: Women are underrepresented in the “brilliance-required” fields because people in general believe that men are more likely to be geniuses than women. The research seems to support this idea.