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1/25
Some absolutely amazing research by @lewis_halsey and @SteveStuWill that came out this month; 'Men, women and STEM: Why the differences and what should be done?'
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0890207020962326
Some highlights (there are many) follow:
Some absolutely amazing research by @lewis_halsey and @SteveStuWill that came out this month; 'Men, women and STEM: Why the differences and what should be done?'
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0890207020962326
Some highlights (there are many) follow:
2/25
“Sex differences in occupational preferences and priorities suggest one possible reason that more men than women go into maths-intensive STEM fields. The reason, put simply, is that more men than women want to go into these fields...
“Sex differences in occupational preferences and priorities suggest one possible reason that more men than women go into maths-intensive STEM fields. The reason, put simply, is that more men than women want to go into these fields...
3/25
... to the extent that this is the case, it implies that workplace discrimination accounts for a smaller fraction of the gender disparities in STEM than we might otherwise suppose”
... to the extent that this is the case, it implies that workplace discrimination accounts for a smaller fraction of the gender disparities in STEM than we might otherwise suppose”
4/25
“… during the same period, a wide range of initiatives were established to try to entice women into those very professions. The stubbornness of the people-vs.-things sex difference is not what one would expect if the difference were shaped largely by culture”
“… during the same period, a wide range of initiatives were established to try to entice women into those very professions. The stubbornness of the people-vs.-things sex difference is not what one would expect if the difference were shaped largely by culture”
5/25
“… the same sex differences in occupational preferences have been found in every society where psychologists have looked for them. In one large study (N 200,000), Lippa (2010) found the differences in 53 out of 53 nations...
“… the same sex differences in occupational preferences have been found in every society where psychologists have looked for them. In one large study (N 200,000), Lippa (2010) found the differences in 53 out of 53 nations...
6/25
... a level of crosscultural unanimity almost unheard of within psychology. Importantly, the gender gap in occupational preferences was no larger in nations with higher levels of gender inequality, suggesting that gender inequality is not a major determinant of the gap”
... a level of crosscultural unanimity almost unheard of within psychology. Importantly, the gender gap in occupational preferences was no larger in nations with higher levels of gender inequality, suggesting that gender inequality is not a major determinant of the gap”
7/25
“Taken together with the other data surveyed in this section, it seems reasonable to think that sex differences in interests, occupational preferences and life priorities are not purely a product of culture or socialization. Biology plays a role as well”
“Taken together with the other data surveyed in this section, it seems reasonable to think that sex differences in interests, occupational preferences and life priorities are not purely a product of culture or socialization. Biology plays a role as well”
8/25
“... although stereotypes can bias social perception & function as self-fulfilling prophesies, the effects tend to be weak and the main reason that stereotypes correspond to social realities appears to be that they reflect those realities, rather than that they create them”
“... although stereotypes can bias social perception & function as self-fulfilling prophesies, the effects tend to be weak and the main reason that stereotypes correspond to social realities appears to be that they reflect those realities, rather than that they create them”
9/25
"Social forces are clearly part of the story. The question is whether social forces are the entirety of the story – and the answer is that they’re almost certainly not. Various lines of evidence suggest, once again, that biological factors play a pivotal role as well"
"Social forces are clearly part of the story. The question is whether social forces are the entirety of the story – and the answer is that they’re almost certainly not. Various lines of evidence suggest, once again, that biological factors play a pivotal role as well"
10/25
“For the reasons given already, gender disparities are not in themselves direct evidence of discrimination; unless the sexes were psychologically identical, equality of opportunity would almost certainly not translate into equality of outcomes”
“For the reasons given already, gender disparities are not in themselves direct evidence of discrimination; unless the sexes were psychologically identical, equality of opportunity would almost certainly not translate into equality of outcomes”
11/25
“The most important voices on this topic are Stephen Ceci and Wendy Williams (2011). In their view, the idea that women are routinely discriminated against in STEM, while true in earlier generations, is no longer true”
“The most important voices on this topic are Stephen Ceci and Wendy Williams (2011). In their view, the idea that women are routinely discriminated against in STEM, while true in earlier generations, is no longer true”
12/25
“… The final sample included nearly 900 professors from 371 US universities. Averaging across conditions, Williams and Ceci found a 2:1 bias in favour of female applicants. This pro-female bias was found in all four fields and among both male and female faculty”
“… The final sample included nearly 900 professors from 371 US universities. Averaging across conditions, Williams and Ceci found a 2:1 bias in favour of female applicants. This pro-female bias was found in all four fields and among both male and female faculty”
13/25
“… However, according to Ceci & Williams, a systematic review of all the available evidence suggests that deviations from gender equality are rare, & that they just as often favour women as men. Again, this is not what we would expect if anti-female bias were endemic”
“… However, according to Ceci & Williams, a systematic review of all the available evidence suggests that deviations from gender equality are rare, & that they just as often favour women as men. Again, this is not what we would expect if anti-female bias were endemic”
14/25
"In summary, it seems fair to say that the evidence for gender discrimination in STEM is mixed, with some studies finding pro-male bias, some finding the reverse and some finding none at all"
"In summary, it seems fair to say that the evidence for gender discrimination in STEM is mixed, with some studies finding pro-male bias, some finding the reverse and some finding none at all"
15/25
“… sex-based discrimination could not be hugely prevalent in STEM; if it were, it would be easier to detect a clear signal and the research would paint a more consistent picture of the situation...
“… sex-based discrimination could not be hugely prevalent in STEM; if it were, it would be easier to detect a clear signal and the research would paint a more consistent picture of the situation...
16/25
... This, in turn, suggests that factors other than discrimination – in particular, sex differences in occupational preferences – are the main explanation for the persistence of gender gaps in STEM”
... This, in turn, suggests that factors other than discrimination – in particular, sex differences in occupational preferences – are the main explanation for the persistence of gender gaps in STEM”
17/25
“Susan Pinker (2008) interviewed women who had left successful STEM careers to pursue careers in other areas. Many reported that, as girls and young adults, they were so strongly encouraged to go into STEM that they ended up in jobs they did not especially enjoy”
“Susan Pinker (2008) interviewed women who had left successful STEM careers to pursue careers in other areas. Many reported that, as girls and young adults, they were so strongly encouraged to go into STEM that they ended up in jobs they did not especially enjoy”
18/25
“… the main cause of the gender gaps in STEM appears to be average sex differences in people’s vocational preferences. This raises serious questions about the utility of anti-bias training”
“… the main cause of the gender gaps in STEM appears to be average sex differences in people’s vocational preferences. This raises serious questions about the utility of anti-bias training”
19/25
“Why should any individual woman today be advantaged over any individual man just because other men were advantaged over other women in the past? Reversing historical injustices does not erase them; it merely adds to the total number of injustices in the world”
“Why should any individual woman today be advantaged over any individual man just because other men were advantaged over other women in the past? Reversing historical injustices does not erase them; it merely adds to the total number of injustices in the world”
20/25
“However, given that men and women are not identical in their aspirations and aptitudes, we have no reason to expect gender parity, even under conditions of perfect fairness... “
“However, given that men and women are not identical in their aspirations and aptitudes, we have no reason to expect gender parity, even under conditions of perfect fairness... “
21/25
"… even among those best positioned to achieve their life ambitions, occupational gender parity appears not to be necessary for happiness”
"… even among those best positioned to achieve their life ambitions, occupational gender parity appears not to be necessary for happiness”
22/25
“A growing body of work suggests that, in nations with greater wealth and higher levels of gender equality, sex differences are often larger than they are in less wealthy, less equal nations”
“A growing body of work suggests that, in nations with greater wealth and higher levels of gender equality, sex differences are often larger than they are in less wealthy, less equal nations”
23/25
“… if certain sex differences are larger in societies with better social indicators, then rather than being products of a sexist or oppressive society, these differences may be indicators of the opposite: a comparatively free and fair one”
“… if certain sex differences are larger in societies with better social indicators, then rather than being products of a sexist or oppressive society, these differences may be indicators of the opposite: a comparatively free and fair one”
24/25
“By mistaking the fruits of our freedom for evidence of oppression, we may institute policies that, at best, burn up time & resources in a futile effort to cure a ‘disease’ that isn’t actually a disease...
“By mistaking the fruits of our freedom for evidence of oppression, we may institute policies that, at best, burn up time & resources in a futile effort to cure a ‘disease’ that isn’t actually a disease...
25/25
... & at worst actively limit people’s freedom to pursue their own interests and ambitions on a fair and level playing field”
... & at worst actively limit people’s freedom to pursue their own interests and ambitions on a fair and level playing field”
