Girls' comparative advantage in reading can largely explain the gender gap in math-related fields.

ABSTRACT: Gender differences in math performance are now small in developed countries and they cannot explain on their own the strong underrepresentation of women in math-related fields. This latter result is however no longer true once gender differences in reading performance are also taken into account. Using individual-level data on 300,000 15-y-old students in 64 countries, we show that the difference between a student performance in reading and math is 80% of a standard deviation (SD) larger for girls than boys, a magnitude considered as very large. When this difference is controlled for, the gender gap in students' intentions to pursue math-intensive studies and careers is reduced by around 75%, while gender gaps in self-concept in math, declared interest for math or attitudes toward math ent

SUBMITTER: Breda T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6681723 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature