Gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys in computer science and engineering are endorsed across grades 1–12 and across racial/ethnic groups in a diverse sample¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · associational r2 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2021 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · recheck by 2026: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Students in grades 1–12 endorsed gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys in engineering (d = 0.73) and computer science (d = 0.44), including first graders for engineering (d = 0.71). → Master 2021 q3 i? Black, Asian, Latinx, and White girls and boys all endorsed gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys for both fields (all Ps < 0.03). → Master 2021 (2)

Evidence¶

Master 2021¶

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(48), e2100030118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2100030118

q3 · i2 · associational · r2

Preregistered survey of 1,544 students in grades 1–12 in six Rhode Island schools (43% free/reduced-price lunch). The article reports endorsement "in computer science, t(1,531) = 17.16, P < 0.001, and d = 0.44, and engineering, t(1,529) = 28.47, P < 0.001, and d = 0.73", with engineering endorsement present in first grade (d = 0.71).

"Students endorsed gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys in computer science, t(1,531) = 17.16, P < 0.001, and d = 0.44, and engineering, t(1,529) = 28.47, P < 0.001, and d = 0.73"

Master 2021 (2)¶

Master, A., Meltzoff, A. N., & Cheryan, S. (2021). Gender stereotypes about interests start early and cause gender disparities in computer science and engineering. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(48), e2100030118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2100030118

q3 · i? · causal · r2

Intersectional analysis in the same preregistered survey (Table 1) reports mean difference scores by race/ethnicity and gender; the article states endorsement held "for both computer science and engineering, all Ps < 0.03".

"Gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys were endorsed by Black, Asian, Latinx, and White girls and boys for both computer science and engineering, all Ps < 0.03"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Children in grades 3–7 endorse gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys in computer science, with boys endorsing more strongly than girls
• Gender-interest stereotypes create a gender gap in interest in a computer science activity: girls, but not boys, show lower interest when the stereotype is present
• The more girls endorse gender-interest stereotypes favoring boys, the lower their own interest in computer science and engineering, and interest stereotypes predict girls' interest more strongly than ability stereotypes — related
• Experimentally labeling a novel activity with a gender-interest stereotype causes 8-year-old girls to report lower interest and choose it less often — related
• Girls' lower sense of belonging mediates the relation between gender-interest stereotypes and their lower interest in computer science, with the opposite mediation for boys — related
• Fixed mindsets predict stronger stereotyping and trait inferences, with experimental evidence of a causal role — related