Math ability, gender stereotypes about math ability, and educational choices. Combining experimental and survey data

Dominique Cappelletti (), Maria Levati and Matteo Ploner
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Dominique Cappelletti: Department of Economics (University of Verona)

No 07/2022, Working Papers from University of Verona, Department of Economics

Abstract: The underrepresentation of females in STEM fields negatively affects productivity growth and contributes to labour market inequalities. In countries where children are tracked in educational trajectories from high school (as in Italy, 8th grade), it is crucial to understand what drives gendered pathways before educational segregation starts. Collecting experimental and survey data from Italian 8th graders, we find that perceived comparisons with peers are predictors of the likelihood that girls choose a math-intensive track during high school. Policy initiatives improving girls' expectations about their relative math performance may thus encourage female students to pursue a STEM track.

Keywords: School choice; Math ability; Gender stereotypes; Beliefs; STEM (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 I24 J16 J24 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022-06
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-eur, nep-gen and nep-lma
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