gender gaps in academics
In a robust study investigating gender inequality in science, Leslie, Cimpian, Meyer, & Freeland (2015) find that mindset has impacted the number of females in specific academic disciplines. The study indicates that disciplines which are perceived to require innate ability have fewer female PhDs than do disciplines in which it is believed excellence is attributed to hard work and dedication. (READ MORE)
THE GENDER IMBALANCE IN STEM SUBJECTS DOMINATES CURRENT DEBATES ABOUT WOMEN’S UNDER-REPRESENTATION IN ACADEMIA. HOWEVER, WOMEN ARE WELL REPRESENTED AT THE PH.D. LEVEL IN SOME SCIENCES AND POORLY REPRESENTED IN SOME HUMANITIES (E.G., IN 2011, 54% OF U.S. PH.D.’S IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY WERE WOMEN VERSUS ONLY 31% IN PHILOSOPHY). WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT, ACROSS THE ACADEMIC SPECTRUM, WOMEN ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN FIELDS WHOSE PRACTITIONERS BELIEVE THAT RAW, INNATE TALENT IS THE MAIN REQUIREMENT FOR SUCCESS, BECAUSE WOMEN ARE STEREOTYPED AS NOT POSSESSING SUCH TALENT. THIS HYPOTHESIS EXTENDS TO AFRICAN AMERICANS’ UNDERREPRESENTATION AS WELL, AS THIS GROUP IS SUBJECT TO SIMILAR STEREOTYPES. RESULTS FROM A NATIONWIDE SURVEY OF ACADEMICS SUPPORT OUR HYPOTHESIS (TERMED THE FIELD-SPECIFIC ABILITY BELIEFS HYPOTHESIS) OVER THREE COMPETING HYPOTHESES.