Gendered stereotypes, culture, role models, competition, risk aversion, and interests contribute to gender STEM gap, starting at childhood and solidifying by middle school

Researchers from economics, sociology, psychology, and other disciplines have studied the persistent under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This paper summarizes this research. 

Women’s under-representation is concentrated in the math-intensive science fields of geosciences, engineering, economics, math/computer science and physical science. This analysis concentrates on the environmental factors that influence ability, preferences, and the rewards for those choices. 

The paper examines how gendered stereotypes, culture, role models, competition, risk aversion, and interests contribute to gender STEM gap, starting at childhood, solidifying by middle school, and affecting women and men as they progress through school, higher education, and into the labor market.

The results are consistent with preferences and psychological explanations for the under-representation of women in math-intensive STEM fields.