Numeracy Gender Gap in STEM Higher Education: The Role of Neuroticism and Math Anxiety.

ABSTRACT: The under-representation of women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is ubiquitous and understanding the roots of this phenomenon is mandatory to guarantee social equality and economic growth. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of non-cognitive factors that usually show higher levels in females, such as math anxiety (MA) and neuroticism personality trait, to numeracy competence, a core component in STEM studies. A sample of STEM undergraduate students, balanced for gender (N _F = N _M = 70) and Intelligent Quotient (IQ), completed online self-report questionnaires and a numeracy cognitive assessment test. Results show that females scored lower in the numeracy test, and higher in the non-cognitive measures. Moreo

SUBMITTER: Lunardon M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9204305 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature