Gender and Mathemathics

Steele, Nosek

In four studies, conducted in four independent laboratories situated in three countries, subtle cues such as the presence of a female experimenter or the subliminal activation of gender stereotypes influenced women’s math attitudes and math performance. These results provide direct evidence of the connection between quite subtle yet ordinary features in the environment and mental processes (both cognitive and affective) that can potentially cause women’s continued under-representation in math and science. The plasticity of math attitudes and performance as a function of the social situation optimistically points to conditions that could address existing gender disparities in aspirations and performance in math and science.