Gender differences in mathematics and science: the role of the actiotope in determining individuals' achievements and confidence in their own abilities

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Authors

ZIEGLER Albert STOEGER Heidrun HARDER Bettina PARK Kyungbin PORTEŠOVÁ Šárka PORATH Marion

Year of publication 2014
Type Article in Periodical
Magazine / Source High Ability Studies
MU Faculty or unit

Faculty of Social Studies

Citation
Doi http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13598139.2014.916092
Field Psychology
Keywords mathematics; science; gender differences; actiotope; achievement
Description Despite changes, gender differences in math and science continue to exist in some countries. We examined whether the actiotopes of boys and girls at the high school level in math and science differed and the extent to which (a) their actiotope components, (b) the progressive development of their actiotopes (dynamic perspective), and (c) the co-adaptation of their actiotopes (systems perspective) function as predictors for girls' and boys' achievements and confidence in one's own abilities in math and science. To answer these questions, we examined girls and boys (N=361) in Canada, the Czech Republic, and Germany with a questionnaire. The results suggest that girls are less effective at progressively developing their actiotopes in the fields of math and science and that modifications in their actiotopes were less well balanced by stabilizing forces. Independent of gender, the actiotope aspects considered here are suited to predicting achievements and confidence in one's own abilities in math and science.
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