Women go into science careers more often in countries without gender equality

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Women go into science careers more often in countries without gender equality
Boys are confident they can do science even if they're not especially good at it.
JOHN TIMMER - 2/19/2018, 9:51 AM
https://arstechnica.com/science/2018/02/globally-women-tend-to-avoid-science-careers-even-when-theyre-good-at-it/


University of Michigan

A large number of social factors have discouraged women from pursuing careers in science and technology. But in a number of countries, an increasingly egalitarian view of gender differences has been associated with rising math and science scores for girls. However, that change hasn't been followed by increased participation in science and tech careers; in fact, the frequency of women pursuing degrees in these areas is often higher in societies that are far from egalitarian.

Two researchers, Gijsbert Stoet of the UK and David Geary in the US, decided to explore this paradoxical trend. Their analysis suggests that the situation may be the product of a complex mixture of relative talents, general confidence, and social factors. The results drive home that, if we want to attract and retain some of the best talent in the sciences, it's going to take more than simply ensuring they have equal access to advanced degrees.

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