Math plus Gender Equals Gender Gap

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Article Review: Math plus Gender Equals Gender Gap by Beth Azar
The article written by Beth Azar gives a psychological explanation of why there is a gender difference in the study of mathematics. Previous studies have indicated that naturally, boys are better than girls in math. Although these studies have shown that boys are better than girls in math, they have not indicated that girls cannot pursue mathematically demanding fields. Girls are often underrepresented in math, science, and engineering, and there are a number of factors which derail girls’ performance in math.
Azar notes that according to Janet Hyde, PhD, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, the lack of confidence in girls is one of the underlying factors which limit girls’ performance in math (41). Azar argues that it is important to evaluate factors which weaken girls’ confidence in math (41). Research has shown that the lack of confidence in girls is linked to culture. Azar highlights the finding of two psychologists from Cornell University: Steven Ceci, PhD, and Wendy Williams, PhD. According to these two psychologists, girls’ confidence is determined largely by genetic factors and cultural factors to a lesser extent. Azar points out that when the list of the top 10,000 mathematics students in the US in1983 is analyzed, it is evident that in every group of 14 students, 13 were boys. In 2007, the statistics had changed. In every five students, 3 were boys. Azar indicates that psychologists such as Janet Hyde, PhD, argue that genetic factors alone cannot be said to play influence the performance of girls in math. In addition, the recent statistics show that changing cultural norms have encouraged girls to take more competitive math courses. However, there performance is still low. Furthermore, research conducted by D...