For over a decade now, both psychologists and education policymakers have accepted the theory that the gender gap in math and science results from what’s called the “stereotype threat.” According to this theory, the reason that girls have historically shunned the study of math and science is because they’ve been raised to believe that the hard sciences are only for boys. In other words, low self-esteem regarding these subjects has turned girls away, not any inherent disinterest or lack of ability.

A new study, however, has found that previous research on the stereotype threat used false methodologies to draw its conclusions. David Geary of the University of Missouri, in conjunction with Giljsbert Stoet of Leeds University, examined studies relying on the stereotype threat and found that many did not subject boys and girls to the same experimental factors. For example, one study attempting to prove stereotype threat told girls they would do poorly on a subsequent math test, but did not do the same for boys before taking the same test. Geary and Stoet also found statistical inaccuracies in the twenty studies they overviewed.

So what, precisely, are the reasons behind the gap between men and women in STEM careers? The answers, of course, are not yet clear cut, but engineer Helen Powell, in a recent Guardian column, noted that regardless of the reasons, girls and women must be actively courted into STEM careers in order to ensure growth and future innovation. Notes Powell:

“I agree with the new study that rather than focusing on the problems of stereotyping, we should devote more time to encouraging girls into science and technology: they clearly respond…But encouraging schoolgirls into university and careers is not all. As is typical in most sectors, I see a number of female engineers at the entry- and mid-levels of companies, but precious few at the top. I have seen too many well-qualified women who fail to make it to top positions due to poor company culture and the lack of flexible working to allow returning mothers to the workplace. This is a huge waste of talent. The report has done well to challenge the myths behind women’s underachievement in schools, but more work still needs to be done to address the problem of women’s lack of achievement in the workplace.”

Some experts have noted that the STEM gender gap may simply be a big myth. This Time article cites studies which have suggested that no such gender gap exists between girls and boys in math and science performance. Even though girls may have taken fewer advanced math classes in the past, this is no longer the case as boys and girls enroll in calculus and higher level courses in equal numbers. The problem, as noted in the Time article, is that women aren’t encouraged to pursue math at university or at the post-graduate level.

What do you think? What should or can be done to level the playing field for girls in science and technology-related careers?

Byline:

This is a guest post from Jacelyn Thomas. Jacelyn writes about identity theft prevention for IdentityTheft.net. She can be reached at: jacelyn.thomas @ gmail.com.

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