Download pdf
'Choosing this major because I am a girl?'-Gender Differences of Major Preference
- 1 Nanjing Normal University
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The essay here is going to give a systematic summary of the potential reasons affecting the choice of college majors of the students, especially the formation of the disparity in scientific majors and humanistic majors. Moreover, the consequence of the disparity is also discussed here. Utilizing ecological theories and cognitivism, the reasons are divided into external factors such as social and family environment, gender stereotype and policies, and internal factors such as self-perception, future development and sense of qualification. A systematic review helps to emit outdated and false information and find out solutions for the problem. Also, revealing the dilemma of males and females, the society would give more freedom for them to choose their major out of their own willingness. In addition, as gender equity and education equity are always a heat topic in contemporary society, efforts should be put to fix the problem and contribute to the civilization of human.
Keywords
Gender gap, College majors, Education equality, Gender stereotype
[1]. Martín-Gámez, C., García-Durán, D., Fernández-Oliveras, A., & Torres-Blanco, V. (2022). Factors to consider from education to promote an image of science and technology with a gender perspective. Heliyon, 8.
[2]. Gabay-Egozi, L., Shavit, Y., & Yaish, M. (2015). Gender Differences in Fields of Study: The Role of Significant Others and Rational Choice Motivations. European Sociological Review, 31, 284-297.
[3]. Mensah, F.K., & Kiernan, K.E. (2010). Gender differences in educational attainment: influences of the family environment. British Educational Research Journal, 36, 239-260.
[4]. Justicia-Galiano, M.J., Martín-Puga, M.E., Linares, R., & Pelegrina, S. (2023). Gender stereotypes about math anxiety: Ability and emotional components. Learning and Individual Differences.
[5]. Catsambis, S. (1994). The Path to Math: Gender and Racial-Ethnic Differences in Mathematics Participation from Middle School to High School. Sociology Of Education, 67, 199-215.
[6]. Carrington, K., & Pratt, A. (2003). How far have we come? Gender disparities in the Australian higher education system.
[7]. Ayalon, H. (2003). Women and Men Go to University: Mathematical Background and Gender Differences in Choice of Field in Higher Education. Sex Roles, 48, 277-290.
[8]. Maple, S.A., & Stage, F.K. (1991). Influences on the Choice of Math/Science Major by Gender and Ethnicity. https://doi.org/10.3102/00028312028001037.
[9]. Alon, S., & DiPrete, T.A. (2015). Gender Differences in the Formation of a Field of Study Choice Set. Sociological science, 2, 50-81.
[10]. LeStourgeon, S.M., & Phelps, D. (2008). Components of Stereotype Threat 1 Running head : Does Stereotype threat Require Stereotypes ? Does Stereotype Threat Require Stereotypes?
[11]. Chang-Da Wan (2018) Student enrolment in Malaysian higher education: is there gender disparity and what can we learn from the disparity?, Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 48:2, 244-261.
[12]. Lörz, M., Schindler, S., & Walter, J.G. (2011). Gender inequalities in higher education: extent, development and mechanisms of gender differences in enrolment and field of study choice. Irish Educational Studies, 30, 179 - 198.
[13]. Lörz, M., & Mühleck, K. (2018). Gender differences in higher education from a life course perspective: transitions and social inequality between enrolment and first post-doc position. Higher Education, 77, 381-402.
[14]. Banerjee, M., Schenke, K., Lam, A.S., & Eccles, J.S. (2018). The Roles of Teachers, Classroom Experiences, and Finding Balance: A Qualitative Perspective on the Experiences and Expectations of Females Within STEM and Non-STEM Careers. International Journal of Gender, Science, and Technology, 10, 287-307.
Cite this article
Guo,T. (2024). 'Choosing this major because I am a girl?'-Gender Differences of Major Preference. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,60,141-146.
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study will be available from the authors upon reasonable request.
Disclaimer/Publisher's Note
The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s). EWA Publishing and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content.
About volume
Volume title: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Psychology and Humanity Studies
© 2024 by the author(s). Licensee EWA Publishing, Oxford, UK. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Authors who
publish this series agree to the following terms:
1. Authors retain copyright and grant the series right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this
series.
2. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the series's published
version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial
publication in this series.
3. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and
during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See
Open access policy for details).