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The Gender Gap in High School Physics: Considering the Context of Local Communities

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  • Catherine Riegle-Crumb
  • Chelsea Moore

Abstract

type="main"> We focus on variation in gender inequality in physics course-taking, questioning the notion of a ubiquitous male advantage. We consider how inequality in high school physics is related to the context of students’ local communities, specifically the representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) occupations in the labor force. This study uses nationally representative data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and its education component, the Adolescent Health and Academic Achievement Transcript Study. Approximately half of schools are characterized by either gender equality or even a small female advantage in enrollment in this traditionally male subject. Furthermore, variation in the gender gap in physics is related to the percent of women who are employed in STEM occupations within the community. Our study suggests that communities differ in the extent to which traditionally gendered status expectations shape beliefs and behaviors.

Suggested Citation

  • Catherine Riegle-Crumb & Chelsea Moore, 2014. "The Gender Gap in High School Physics: Considering the Context of Local Communities," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 95(1), pages 253-268, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:socsci:v:95:y:2014:i:1:p:253-268
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/ssqu.12022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Roland G. Fryer & Steven D. Levitt, 2010. "An Empirical Analysis of the Gender Gap in Mathematics," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(2), pages 210-240, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marc Henry & Romuald Meango & Ismael Mourifie, 2020. "Role models and revealed gender-specific costs of STEM in an extended Roy model of major choice," Papers 2005.09095, arXiv.org, revised Aug 2023.
    2. Monica Bowden & John P. Bartkowski & Xiaohe Xu & Richard Lewis Jr., 2017. "Parental Occupation and the Gender Math Gap: Examining the Social Reproduction of Academic Advantage among Elementary and Middle School Students," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 7(1), pages 1-17, December.
    3. Marc Henry & Romuald Meango & Ismael Mourifié, 2020. "Revealing Gender-Specific Costs of STEM in an Extended Roy Model of Major Choice," Working Papers 2020-035, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Juliano Morimoto, 2022. "Intersectionality of social and philosophical frameworks with technology: could ethical AI restore equality of opportunities in academia?," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Henry, Marc & Méango, Romuald & Mourifié, Ismaël, 2024. "Role models and revealed gender-specific costs of STEM in an extended Roy model of major choice," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 238(2).

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