Boys rate their mathematics ability under challenge significantly higher than girls at every level of observed mathematics ability, including the highest (p < 0.001)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Across the observed ability distribution, boys consistently rate their perceived mathematics ability under challenge more highly than girls, with gaps of 0.29, 0.34, and 0.24 standard deviations at the 50th, 70th, and 90th percentiles of 10th grade ability. → Perez-Felkner L 2017

Evidence¶

Perez-Felkner L 2017¶

Perez-Felkner L, Nix S and Thomas K (2017) Gendered Pathways: How Mathematics Ability Beliefs Shape Secondary and Postsecondary Course and Degree Field Choices. Front. Psychol. 8:386. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00386

q3 · i? · associational · r2

Two-sample t-tests (allowing for unequal variances) compared girls' and boys' ability beliefs among students at the 10th through 90th percentiles of 10th grade mathematics test scores in the ELS analytic sample. Gender differences were "highly significant (p < 0.001)" and "the gender gaps are largest among the least and most talented mathematics students."

"Girls rate their ability in difficult mathematics systematically lower than boys: the gen der difference is 0.29 standard deviations for those at the 50th percentile of observed ability, 0.34 standard deviations fo r those at the 70th percentile"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Tenth grade perceived mathematics ability under challenge is the most influential predictor of advanced high school science course completion, and girls have 24.0% lower odds than boys of completing the most advanced science courses — related
• Girls' likelihood of majoring in PEMC is 3.1 times greater at the highest versus lowest value of 12th grade perceived mathematics ability under challenge (5.6% vs. 1.8%) — related
• Growth mindset interacts with gender for health major choice — men's chances decline 3.9 percentage points per unit increase — but no gender difference appears in how ability beliefs influence PEMC major choice — related
• A one standard deviation increase in 10th grade perceived mathematics ability under challenge corresponds to a 1.62 times higher risk of staying in the natural sciences rather than never entering these fields in college — related
• Mathematics achievement is strongly positively associated with mathematics confidence at the student level (0.43) — related
• Men have a 3.60 times higher risk than women of majoring in PEMC sciences and a 0.74 times lower risk of majoring in health fields, with predicted PEMC probabilities of 14.9% for men versus 4.7% for women — related
• Teacher-rated grades show girls rated slightly higher than boys, but gender is unrelated to test performance — related
• Girls report higher initial mathematics enjoyment and boys higher initial boredom, with no gender differences in arithmetic skill development or mathematics performance — related