Although female students' overall performance in mathematics is on a par with the performance of male students, female students tend to report lower levels of mathematics self-concept (MSC) than their male schoolmates. With the present study, we examined for the first time whether occupational gender diversity (i.e., a balanced gender ratio) in…

This study examined how motivational factors (i.e., self-concept in science, enjoyment of science, and instrumental value of science) predict science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) career aspirations using a nationally representative sample of 5,611 fifteen-year-old students (49.4% female) in the United States. The findings demonstrated…

Increasing women's participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) has become a policy goal for many countries. This dissertation focuses on the origin and measurement of gender gaps in student achievement and self-perceived ability, as well as their potential role in predicting college career choices in STEM. The first…

Using data from the Program for International Student Assessment 2006 surveys for 50 countries, this paper explores gender segregation of adolescent science career plans. We ask whether, in different cultures, bridging the male-female gap in science self-concept could reduce gender disparities in students' career preferences. Bringing together the…

This article investigates the association between students' self-related cognition and mathematics performance in Hong Kong, a region that has excelled in mathematics performance in previous international studies. The five constructs of self-related cognition are: self-concept, self-efficacy, interest and enjoyment, instrumental motivation, and…