A new study by CU professors in physics and psychology is intended to stem the gender gap among introductory physics students.
The stereotype that women do not perform as well as their male counterparts in physics is one that permeates the field, and in recent findings, may in fact be the cause of the gap itself.
A recently published study in the Journal of Science by several University of Colorado professors in cognitive science, psychology, physics and neuroscience aimed to find out what exactly is causing the noticeable gender gap between males and females as they enter introductory physics at the collegiate level.
According to the study, psychological factors resulting from the anxieties and awareness of this stereotype may, in fact, be the cause of the differences in grades men and women have in introductory physics.
Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience Tiffany Ito, co-author of the study, identified “identity threat” as one of the main psychological factors contributing to the gap.
“The stereotypes that many have regarding gender in the sciences tie directly to this idea of identity threat,” Ito said. “These can create fears and anxieties in females which can lead to poorer performance.”
The authors of the study used an essay as a tool to see if applying personal values and writing could increase performance in addition to the current pre- and post-class evaluations. Students had 15 minutes to complete the essay given during an introductory physics course.
The essay asked students to rate their values on family, friends, self-affirmation and also whether they believe in the stereotype. They were then prompted to write about the two values that meant the most to them. A control group was asked to rate and write about what values they feel are important to others.
The essay was given as a participation assignment in class so as not to skew the results with students having knowledge of the study.
According to the study, the results showed that after taking the short affirmation essay, female students showed an increase in grades and mastery of conceptual material generally raising grades from a “C” to “B.”
There was no significant increase in the grades of males who also completed the essay. Females in the control group showed little change in their post-class assessment.
Noah Finkelstein, one of the co-authors of the study, said the physics department began collecting data in 2003 and noticed a recurring difference in the grades between males and females.
In 2008, they joined with professors in psychology to focus on the cause of the gap and determining what specific mechanisms were in play.
Finkelstein, an associate professor of physics, said the problem wasn’t a result of ability but rather psychological factors and training prior to college.
“There was this concern that we might not be measuring what it is women know, and we may be undervaluing their knowledge simply by the way we’re testing and the psychological factors that may be at hand when taking a test,” Finkelstein said. “So we went to study this stereotype threat, and that’s what led to this affirmation-intervention essay.”
Akira Miyake, psychology professor and lead-author of the study, said that while the results of the study show promise for bridging the gender gap, it is just the first step in completely eliminating the stereotypes and gaps that exist in the sciences.
“We expected the results that arose, but what we didn’t expect was how two short 15-minute essays could significantly shorten that gap between men and women,” Miyake said. “It’s very exciting and we hope to be able to apply these findings to other sciences in the future.”
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Joe Kovack at Joseph.kovack@colorado.edu.
