Despite an increasing number of women joining the ranks of STEM gurus, girls are still suffering from "mathematics anxiety," according to a recent study. Does this mean that boys are better in mathematics and STEM subjects?
According to EurekAlert, a team of psychologists from the University of California-Irvine, University of Missouri and the University of Glasgow, Scotland, looked into international data to determine the difference between girls and boys when it comes to mathematics and STEM subjects. The group's research yielded that girls often feel negative about mathematics, resulting in avoiding math-related subjects.
This avoidance is termed as "mathematics anxiety," which is more commonly seen in girls than in boys. The researchers found that there are other factors that bring about this subject anxiety.
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The researchers analyzed 15-year olds from 60 countries in the world and they found that neither the gender equality nor anyhow "related to the level of their mothers' engagement in STEM careers." They also ascertained that in more developed countries, girls and boys somewhat perform better compared to those in less developed ones.
One thing that points to the home as a factor in instilling mathematics anxiety in girls is that many parents often expect boys to fare well in mathematics and STEM subjects or with a similar field. This creates an underlying notion that girls don't do well in mathematics, nurturing the anxiety instead of putting an end to it.
The Guardian reported something similar in terms of the lack of self-confidence of girls in tackling mathematics problems. It stated that one way for girls to overcome this lack of self-confidence towards math is for parents to encourage their daughters to consider mathematics-related fields.
It's a myth that boys are better at math and science. -Geologist Maile of Northgate Environmental Mgmt #TWkz pic.twitter.com/Voe3kHSh7F — TechWomen (@TechWomen) March 18, 2016
Although studies and reports showed that girls are more likely to suffer from mathematics anxiety compared to boys, it does not speak of every single girl on the planet. There are girls who do well in mathematics and take leadership roles in STEM-related fields.
