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The Potential Scientist’s Dilemma: How the Masculine Framing of Science Shapes Friendships and Science Job Aspirations

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  • G. Robin Gauthier

    (Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA
    Research, Evaluation and Analysis for Community Health, Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 209 Benton Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA)

  • Patricia Wonch Hill

    (Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA)

  • Julia McQuillan

    (Department of Sociology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 709 Oldfather Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA)

  • Amy N. Spiegel

    (Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Consortium, 370E Prem S. Paul Research Center at Whittier School, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2200 Vine Street, Lincoln, NE 68583-0866, USA)

  • Judy Diamond

    (University of Nebraska State Museum, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 307 Morrill Hall, Lincoln, NE 68588, USA)

Abstract

In the United States, girls and boys have similar science achievement, yet fewer girls aspire to science careers than boys. This paradox emerges in middle school, when peers begin to play a stronger role in shaping adolescent identities. We use complete network data from a single middle school and theories of gender, identity, and social distance to explore how friendship patterns might influence this gender and science paradox. Three patterns highlight the social dimensions of gendered science persistence: (1) boys and girls do not differ in self-perceived science potential and science career aspirations; (2) consistent with gender-based norms, both middle school boys and girls report that the majority of their female friends are not science kinds of people; and (3) youth with gender-inconsistent science aspirations are more likely to be friends with each other than youth with gender normative science aspirations. Together, this evidence suggests that friendship dynamics contribute to gendered patterns in science career aspirations.

Suggested Citation

  • G. Robin Gauthier & Patricia Wonch Hill & Julia McQuillan & Amy N. Spiegel & Judy Diamond, 2017. "The Potential Scientist’s Dilemma: How the Masculine Framing of Science Shapes Friendships and Science Job Aspirations," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(1), pages 1-21, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jscscx:v:6:y:2017:i:1:p:14-:d:90214
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Legewie, Joscha & DiPrete, Thomas A., 2014. "The High School Environment and the Gender Gap in Science and Engineering," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 87(4), pages 259-280.
    2. Su, Yu-Sung & Gelman, Andrew & Hill, Jennifer & Yajima, Masanao, 2011. "Multiple Imputation with Diagnostics (mi) in R: Opening Windows into the Black Box," Journal of Statistical Software, Foundation for Open Access Statistics, vol. 45(i02).
    3. Monica Gaughan, 2006. "Institutional Assessment of Women in Science: Introduction to the Symposium," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 307-310, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Patricia Wonch Hill & Julia McQuillan & Eli Talbert & Amy Spiegel & G. Robin Gauthier & Judy Diamond, 2017. "Science Possible Selves and the Desire to be a Scientist: Mindsets, Gender Bias, and Confidence during Early Adolescence," Social Sciences, MDPI, vol. 6(2), pages 1-18, May.

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