Do You Stand Out? Perceptions of Ability, Work Ethic, and Participation in College STEM Classes

Authors

  • Amy Roberson Hayes University of Texas at Tyler
  • Kristin J. Hixson University of Texas at Tyler
  • Stephanie L. Masters University of Alabama

Keywords:

ability, motivation, performance, science, mathematics, social science

Abstract

Research has shown female students consistently under-rate their performance and ability in STEM classes relative to their male peers, and that the converse is true for male students (Grusnpan, Eddy, Brownell, Wiggins, Crowe & Goodreau, 2016). Our study examines the possible gender-differentiated experiences of students in college STEM courses. Participants included 192 U.S. undergraduate students (133 female, 59 male). Students completed an online survey which asked them to rate their experiences in their most recent college science, mathematics, and social science classes. Results showed that the grade students received in their most recent class was the variable most predictive of ability and work ethic perceptions, across disciplines.& There were no gender differences in course grade or perceptions of ability in math and science classes, although women ranked themselves significantly higher than men did in terms of work ethic across all three subject areas. Individual motivation factors such as mastery orientation were not related to perceptions of ability in any field but did predict students’ perception of their work ethic.& Finally, there were no effects of the gender composition of the course on students’ perceptions of classroom experiences across disciplines.

Author Biographies

  • Amy Roberson Hayes, University of Texas at Tyler
    Dr. Hayes is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychology and Counseling at the University of Texas at Tyler.
  • Kristin J. Hixson, University of Texas at Tyler
    Ms. Hixson is a graduate student in clinical psychology at the University of Texas at Tyler.
  • Stephanie L. Masters, University of Alabama
    Ms. Masters is a graduate student at the University of Alabama.

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Published

23-04-2020

Issue

Section

Special Issue: Re-imagining who does STEM

How to Cite

Do You Stand Out? Perceptions of Ability, Work Ethic, and Participation in College STEM Classes. (2020). International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology, 12(1), 65-96. https://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/article/view/677