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Men and Women on the STEM track. Similar or diverse
 
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AGH, Akademia Górniczo-Hutnicza im. Stanisława Staszica w Krakowie, , Wydział Humanistyczny, Katedra Socjologii Gospodarki i Komunikacji Społecznej
 
2
SWPS Uniwersytet Humanistycznospołeczny, Instytut Psychologii
 
 
Publication date: 2019-12-30
 
 
Corresponding author
Joanna Pyrkosz-Pacyna   

jpyrkosz@agh.edu.pl
 
 
Studia Humanistyczne AGH 2019;18(4):31-44
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Much attention has been directed towards explaining and overcoming the low representation of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields. In this study, we aimed to test gender differences among men and women on the STEM track: female and male students enrolled in STEM majors. We found that women (versus men) feel less competent in STEM, value work in STEM less, and have a lower expectancy of succeeding in STEM. When it comes to career goals, women were equally agentic but more communal. We failed to find any gender differences regarding a sense of belonging to STEM, or in general behavioral intentions to engage in STEM. To conclude, although we replicated some of the hypothesis about gender differences, we found preliminary evidence that there may be indeed fewer gender differences among those already engaged in STEM than we might have expected based on the previous research.
FUNDING
The study was conducted with the use of funding awarded by the Faculty of Humanities, AGH University of Science and Technology.
 
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