Gender Differences in Implicit Attitudes toward Mathematics and Science

1. Gender Differences in Implicit Attitudes toward Mathematics and Science Brian A. Nosek Mahzarin R. Banaji Yale University Anthony G. Greenwald University of Washington

2. Gender differences in participation in mathematics • As level of education increases female participation in math and science declines

3. Differential gender participation in the sciences

4. Gender differences in performance H y d e e t a l . , 1 9 9 0 -.06 e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l . 2 9 h i g h s c h o o l . 3 2 c o l l e g e . 4 1 g i f t e d c h i l d r e n . 4 0 S A T m a t h F e i n g o l d , 1 9 8 8 Males account for as much as 96% of perfect or near perfect SAT math scores

5. intentional controlled direct measurement self-report subject to presentational biases unintentional automatic indirect measurement no self-report needed not subject to presentational biases Explicit vs. Implicit Explicit Attitudes Implicit Attitudes

6. Relative Attitude Index = (Math/unpleasant) - (Math/pleasant) RAI = (math+unpleasant) - (math+pleasant) = 750ms - 850ms = -100ms

7. Do females hold more negative attitudes toward mathematics than males at an implicit level? Attitudes Toward Mathematics d = 1.03

8. Do females hold more negative attitudes toward science than males at an implicit level? Attitudes Toward Science d = .94

9. Relationship between implicit and explicit attitudes • Correlation between implicit and explicit attitudes toward mathematics: .530***

10. Implicit attitudes, explicit attitudes and performance

11. Attitudes toward mathematics by major and gender

12. Comparing Implicit and Explicit Attitudes by Gender and Major

13. Primary findings • Gender differences in attitudes toward math can be revealed measuring outside of conscious control • Implicit and explicit attitudes about math were related • Implicit and explicit measures were related to performance • Female science majors’ implicit and explicit attitudes toward math were dissociated