The Potential Scientist’s Dilemma: How the Masculine Framing of Science Shapes Friendships and Science Job Aspirations

G. Robin Gauthier, Patricia Wonch Hill, Julia McQuillan, Amy N. Spiegel and Judy Diamond
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G. Robin Gauthier: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Patricia Wonch Hill: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Julia McQuillan: Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
Amy N. Spiegel: Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Consortium, 370E Prem S. Paul Research Center at Whittier School, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2200 Vine Street, Lincoln, NE 68583-0866, USA
Judy Diamond: University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA

Social Sciences, 2017, vol. 6, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: In the United States, girls and boys have similar science achievement, yet fewer girls aspire to science careers than boys. This paradox emerges in middle school, when peers begin to play a stronger role in shaping adolescent identities. We use complete network data from a single middle school and theories of gender, identity, and social distance to explore how friendship patterns might influence this gender and science paradox. Three patterns highlight the social dimensions of gendered science persistence: (1) boys and girls do not differ in self-perceived science potential and science career aspirations; (2) consistent with gender-based norms, both middle school boys and girls report that the majority of their female friends are not science kinds of people; and (3) youth with gender-inconsistent science aspirations are more likely to be friends with each other than youth with gender normative science aspirations. Together, this evidence suggests that friendship dynamics contribute to gendered patterns in science career aspirations.

Keywords: STEM (Science; Technology; Engineering & Mathematics) education; social networks; gender; adolescence; culture; homophily (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A B N P Y80 Z00 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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