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¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associationalr2·q3
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i? Perceived mathematics ability under challenge predicted retention in the natural sciences (PEMC/biology), with a one standard deviation increase in the 10th grade measure corresponding to 1.62 times higher risk of staying in versus never entering these fields. → 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
Major retention analyses compared intended postsecondary majors to declared majors among the ELS panel, distinguishing enterers, stayers, and leavers of the natural sciences from abstainers. The 10th grade measure remained most influential even with a 12th grade measure of the same indicator included, making the estimate more conservative.
"a one standard deviation increase in 10th grade perceived mathematics ability corresponds to a 1.62 times higher risk of staying in the natural sciences as compared to never entering these fields in college."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- 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
- Boys rate their mathematics ability under challenge significantly higher than girls at every level of observed mathematics ability, including the highest (p < 0.001) — related
- 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
- 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
- Learners invest more effort in tasks they perceive as interesting, personally important, or useful to their future goals. — a broader claim this one bears on
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
math-ability-belief-predicts-natural-science-major-retention |
title |
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 |
description |
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 |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2017 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-17 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
1 — perez-felkner-l-2017 |
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