View in EDS

Implicit Gender-STEM Stereotypes and College Major Choice. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1230

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Implicit Gender-STEM Stereotypes and College Major Choice. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1230
Language: English
Authors: Stephanie Owen, Derek Rury, Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2025.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 48
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Sex Stereotypes, STEM Education, Predictor Variables, Gender Differences, Majors (Students), Course Selection (Students), Salaries, Humanities, Role Models, Females, College Freshmen, Student Behavior, Student Characteristics
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Implicit Association Test
Abstract: Implicit stereotypes about gender and STEM may unconsciously shape students' academic choices and contribute to gender gaps in major choice, but there is limited economic evidence on this channel. To study this relationship, we administer a gender-science Implicit Association Test (IAT) to a sample of primarily first-semester undergraduates, and link results to original survey data and administrative transcript data. On average, students in our sample implicitly associate men with STEM and women with humanities, with no differences by student gender. Our key finding is that implicit stereotypes are strongly predictive of behavior. Male students with a one standard deviation higher male-science association are 7-9 ppt more likely to intend to major in STEM, while female students are 8-10 ppt less likely. We find similar relationships between implicit stereotypes and observed STEM course-taking and officially declared major. These patterns are robust to controls for expected earnings, preferences for major characteristics such as salary and job flexibility, presence of female role models, and explicit beliefs about women in STEM and humanities. Our results suggest that implicit stereotypes may be a promising focus for interventions targeting gender gaps.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: ED674056
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED674056
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED674056
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Implicit Gender-STEM Stereotypes and College Major Choice. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1230
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stephanie+Owen%22">Stephanie Owen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Derek+Rury%22">Derek Rury</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22">Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22"><i>Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</i></searchLink>. 2025.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 48
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research<br />Tests/Questionnaires
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Higher+Education%22">Higher Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Postsecondary+Education%22">Postsecondary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Sex+Stereotypes%22">Sex Stereotypes</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22STEM+Education%22">STEM Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictor+Variables%22">Predictor Variables</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Gender+Differences%22">Gender Differences</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Majors+%28Students%29%22">Majors (Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Course+Selection+%28Students%29%22">Course Selection (Students)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Salaries%22">Salaries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Humanities%22">Humanities</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Role+Models%22">Role Models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Females%22">Females</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22College+Freshmen%22">College Freshmen</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Behavior%22">Student Behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+Characteristics%22">Student Characteristics</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Implicit+Association+Test%22">Implicit Association Test</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Implicit stereotypes about gender and STEM may unconsciously shape students' academic choices and contribute to gender gaps in major choice, but there is limited economic evidence on this channel. To study this relationship, we administer a gender-science Implicit Association Test (IAT) to a sample of primarily first-semester undergraduates, and link results to original survey data and administrative transcript data. On average, students in our sample implicitly associate men with STEM and women with humanities, with no differences by student gender. Our key finding is that implicit stereotypes are strongly predictive of behavior. Male students with a one standard deviation higher male-science association are 7-9 ppt more likely to intend to major in STEM, while female students are 8-10 ppt less likely. We find similar relationships between implicit stereotypes and observed STEM course-taking and officially declared major. These patterns are robust to controls for expected earnings, preferences for major characteristics such as salary and job flexibility, presence of female role models, and explicit beliefs about women in STEM and humanities. Our results suggest that implicit stereotypes may be a promising focus for interventions targeting gender gaps.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2025
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED674056
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED674056
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 48
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Sex Stereotypes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: STEM Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Predictor Variables
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Gender Differences
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Majors (Students)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Course Selection (Students)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Salaries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Humanities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Role Models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Females
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: College Freshmen
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Student Characteristics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Implicit Association Test
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Implicit Gender-STEM Stereotypes and College Major Choice. EdWorkingPaper No. 25-1230
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Stephanie Owen
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Derek Rury
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
              Type: main
ResultId 1