Research suggests that there is no significant difference in math abilities between genders, despite popular stereotypes and biases.
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Research suggests that there is no significant difference in math abilities between genders, despite popular stereotypes and biases. A study published in the journal Science found that girls perform as well as boys in math exams at the age of 10, and that any differences that do exist are largely due to environmental factors, such as stereotype threat and math-related anxiety. As Professor Janet Hyde from the University of Wisconsin-Madison explains, “there just aren’t gender differences anymore on mathematics performance. So, worrying about them, pursuing them, is not going to gain us anything.”
Interestingly, while girls and boys may perform equally well in math, there are gender differences in how they approach math problems. Girls tend to approach math tasks more methodically and are more likely to check their work, while boys are more likely to take risks and attempt to solve problems without thoroughly checking their work. This difference in approach may partially explain why boys tend to be overrepresented in higher-level math classes and eventually, math-related careers.
Here are some other interesting facts about gender differences in math:
- Studies show that when math is taught in a gender-neutral way, with an emphasis on real-world problem solving and practical applications, girls perform just as well as boys.
- Research also suggests that girls are more likely to be discouraged from pursuing careers in math and science because of gender biases, rather than their actual abilities.
- Despite the lack of gender differences in math abilities, women are still underrepresented in STEM fields. In 2019, women made up only 28% of workers in science and engineering occupations.
- A recent study found that women are more likely to earn math and science degrees in countries with higher levels of gender equality.
- According to the National Science Foundation, women score higher on average in statistics, while men score higher in geometry and spatial reasoning.
In conclusion, while there may be some differences in how girls and boys approach math problems, research suggests that there are no significant gender differences in math abilities. As we continue to work towards greater gender equality, it is important to support girls and women in pursuing careers in STEM fields, and to promote gender-neutral approaches to teaching math and science.
| Country | % of women earning STEM degrees |
|---|---|
| Japan | 14% |
| Canada | 29% |
| France | 39% |
| United States | 41% |
| Sweden | 42% |
| South Korea | 44% |
| Norway | 45% |
| Finland | 44% |
| Denmark | 38% |
| Spain | 38% |
| United Kingdom | 24% |
See a related video
The speaker in this video addresses the gender gap in mathematics and highlights how it impacts students of different genders.Stereotypes surrounding gender and mathematics, and a lack of recognition for female mathematicians are cited as factors in the perceived difference in confidence and performance between genders. The speaker emphasizes the need to eliminate gender biases in teaching to ensure all students have an equal opportunity to excel in mathematics.They also discuss a study that suggests girls in classes taught by highly math-anxious teachers performed worse in math, possibly due to accepting stereotypes about gender and math, yet maintaining a positive attitude towards math can help girls perform well regardless of their teacher’s attitudes. The speaker argues that solving the problem of girls being held back in math needs to be addressed on a societal level with the belief in gender equality in math being held by all teachers and students.
Other answers to your question
In addition, research suggests that gender differences in mathematics ability are minimal during early childhood and do not consistently arise until middle to late adolescence (e.g., Lindberg et al., 2010; Robinson and Lubienski, 2011).
Research suggests that gender differences in mathematics ability are minimal during early childhood and do not consistently arise until middle to late adolescence. A study found few gender differences in math abilities worldwide. However, another study found significant gender differences in math test scores and self-perceived math ability during childhood. Having a parent working in a science-related field is associated with better performance in math but not necessarily higher levels of self-perceived math ability, after controlling for math performance.
In addition, research suggests that gender differences in mathematics ability are minimal during early childhood and do not consistently arise until middle to late adolescence (e.g., Lindberg et al., 2010; Robinson and Lubienski, 2011 ).
Worldwide study finds few gender differences in math abilities.
Our results corroborate significant gender differences in math test scores and self-perceived math ability during childhood. Having a parent working in a science-related field is associated with better performance in math but not necessarily higher levels of self-perceived math ability, after controlling for math performance.
It is generally understood that girls develop a small to moderate deficit in math abilities, compared to boys, over the course of schooling, as measured by mean school grades or test scores (Hyde & Linn, 2006 give a number of .08 standard deviations in favor of men for mathematical problem solving on average, a larger effect favoring elementary school girls, and no difference for high school math; on the maths section of the SAT, girls score ~.3 SD below boys). Similarly, particularly math-heavy academic disciplines (such as physics, maths, computer science) feature a smaller proportion of women than other disciplines, although this effect is attenuated for some surprising cases, such as statistics, and present for some math-light degrees, such as philosophy. This effect is the stronger, the further advanced the position is (e.g., the ratio of female maths BAs is much higher than the ratio of female math PhDs).
All in all, across these various measures, women tend to score slightly wo…
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Does gender affect mathematical ability?
Response will be: These studies have found that females perform better in arithmetic and calculus, while males perform better in mathematical problem solving (Byrnes and Takahira, 1993).
Are there differences between boys and girls in terms of math achievement?
The answer is: Some researchers argue that achievement gaps in math between girls and boys have lessened over time. One recent study that appeared in Science and received a good deal of media atten- tion concluded that there are no longer gender differences in math performance (Hyde et al., 2008).
How do boys and girls compare in math abilities in the United States?
Answer: Math In The Brain Looks The Same For Young Boys And Girls : Shots – Health News Brain scans of 104 boys and girls doing basic math tasks found no gender differences. The finding adds to the evidence that boys and girls start out with equal ability in math.
What causes gender differences in mathematics?
Response: Gender roles and expectations are developed through social learning. In other words, children learn by watching and imitating what they see and hear from their parents, schools, and the media. These societal expectations and messages that children are receiving are affecting their perceived math ability.
Are there gender differences in mathematics performance?
Response: Some studies of children and adults show gender differences in mathematics performance but in those studies it is impossible to disentangle intrinsic, biological differences from sociocultural influences.
Do boys and girls understand math differently?
But boys and girls understood math concepts equally well, and any gender differences actually narrowed over the years, belying the notion of a fixed or biological differentiating factor.
Are there gender differences in basic numerical skills?
Answer will be: For example, two recent studies ( here and here) found no gender differences in basic numerical skills in infants and children. This could be partially explained by the young age of the sample, and also because there are often few gender differences found in basic numerical skills.
Are math-related skills and attitudes related to gender and math?
Therefore, these math-related skills and attitudes may be more useful areas for researchers to investigate related to gender and math. Colleen Ganley is an assistant professor of developmental psychology and in the Florida Center for Research in STEM in the Learning Systems Institute at Florida State University.
Are there gender differences in math and science ability?
In half the studies, sex differences were small; in another third they were virtually nonexistent. Also in 2005, Elizabeth Spelke, PhD, a psychologist at Harvard University, and colleagues reviewed 111 studies and concluded that gender differences in math and science ability have a genetic basis in cognitive systems that emerge in early childhood.
Does gender affect math performance?
Interestingly, we often see larger gender difference in other math-related outcomes compared with overall performance. Girls tend to have less positive math attitudes: They have higher levels of math anxiety and lower levels of confidence in their math skills.
Do boys and girls understand math differently?
The response is: But boys and girls understood math concepts equally well, and any gender differences actually narrowed over the years, belying the notion of a fixed or biological differentiating factor.
Are there gender differences in neural responses to mathematics content?
We saw no evidence of gender differences in neural responses to mathematics content, neural responses during educational video viewing, or rates of neural development for mathematical processing in early childhood, and in fact we found statistical equivalence between boys and girls throughout the brain.