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The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and...
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The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Educational Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024 | Viewed by 6338

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jennifer LaCosse

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Behavioral Sciences, University of Michigan Flint, Flint, MI 48502-1950, USA
Interests: STEM; psychology; minority groups; stereotyped behavior

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite having similar levels of interest in pursuing careers in STEM, minority group members (e.g., women, racial minorities, first generation students) continue to be underrepresented in the related fields. This is problematic as STEM jobs are generally high-paying, meaning that minority group members have reduced opportunity to earn higher pay. In addition, diversity leads to the development of varied and novel ideas, along with new perspectives on old problems. In order to address this problem, psychologists have identified predictors of STEM persistence such as high school preparation, strength of identification with the ingroup, STEM role models, various individual differences, performance, etc. Psychologists have also examined how minorities’ experiences of social identity threat engender psychological vulnerability (e.g., lack of belonging, evaluative concerns, imposter feelings), which can undermine students’ STEM interest. Now that a foundation for psychological research on underrepresentation in STEM has been laid, it is time to develop comprehensive accounts of this challenge. For this reason, we have organized a Special Issue dedicated to new directions in psychological research on underrepresentation in STEM. We welcome original psychology research papers in the following areas, among others:

  • Understudied minority groups in STEM (e.g., linguistic minorities, bi-/multiracial individuals, LGBTQIA+ people);
  • Novel individual difference predictors of STEM outcomes;
  • Institutional level predictors of STEM outcomes.

Dr. Jennifer LaCosse
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Behavioral Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • underrepresentation
  • individual differences
  • minority groups
  • persistence
  • attrition
  • STEM
  • equity
  • motivation
  • institutions
  • diversity
  • threat
  • performance
  • inequality

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

31 pages, 5286 KiB  
Article
“It’s Different for Girls!” The Role of Anxiety, Physiological Arousal, and Subject Preferences in Primary School Children’s Math and Mental Rotation Performance
by Michelle Lennon-Maslin and Claudia Michaela Quaiser-Pohl
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 809; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14090809 - 12 Sep 2024
Viewed by 903
Abstract
(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; Mean age = 8.73 years). (2) Method: [...] Read more.
(1) Background: This study examines the role of subjective anxiety (mathematics and spatial anxiety), along with physiological responses, in mathematics or math and mental rotation performance in 131 German primary school students (65 girls, 66 boys; Mean age = 8.73 years). (2) Method: Students’ preference for math vs. German and their subjective anxiety were assessed using standardized questionnaires. Emotional reactivity was measured using the Galvanic Skin Response (GSR). Math performance was evaluated via percentage scored and completion times on number line estimation, word problems, and missing terms tasks. Spatial skills were assessed using a novel mental rotation task (nMRT) incorporating gender-congruent and -neutral stimuli. (3) Results: Girls outperformed boys on percentage scored on the math task but took longer to complete this. No gender differences were found in performance on the nMRT. Girls demonstrated higher math anxiety and were less likely to prefer math over German. Math anxiety predicted math scores and accuracy on the nMRT while gender predicted math performance and mental rotation response time. Subject preference was associated with longer completion times and emotional reactivity with longer response times. Girls’ preference for math and lower emotional reactivity was linked to shorter completion times, while lower math anxiety predicted higher scores. In contrast, these factors did not affect boys’ math performance. Additionally, subjective anxiety, emotional reactivity, or subject preference did not impact spatial performance for either gender. (4) Conclusions: Supporting mathematical self-efficacy and emotional regulation, especially in girls, is crucial for enhancing STEM outcomes in primary education. Gender-fair assessment in mental rotation reveals equitable spatial performance and reduces the impact of anxiety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics))
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20 pages, 576 KiB  
Article
Gender Typicality and Engineering Attachment: Examining the Viewpoints of Women College Engineers and Variation by Race/Ethnicity
by Ursula Nguyen and Catherine Riegle-Crumb
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 573; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14070573 - 6 Jul 2024
Viewed by 761
Abstract
Women remain under-represented in many STEM occupations, including in the high-status and lucrative field of engineering. This study focuses on women who have chosen to enter this men-dominated field, to consider whether and how feelings of gender typicality predict their attachment to the [...] Read more.
Women remain under-represented in many STEM occupations, including in the high-status and lucrative field of engineering. This study focuses on women who have chosen to enter this men-dominated field, to consider whether and how feelings of gender typicality predict their attachment to the field. Specifically, utilizing a U.S. sample of approximately 800 women college engineers from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds, we build on emerging research on gender typicality to distinguish perceptions of feminine typicality as well as masculine typicality. Subsequently, we consider whether these perceptions have implications for their attachment to engineering, including their engineering identity as well as their certainty of staying in the field. Importantly, in doing so, we consider potential racial/ethnic variations in these relationships. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics))
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20 pages, 2138 KiB  
Article
A Digital Math Game and Multiple-Try Use with Primary Students: A Sex Analysis on Motivation and Learning
by Claudio Cubillos, Silvana Roncagliolo, Daniel Cabrera-Paniagua and Rosa Maria Vicari
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14060488 - 8 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1031
Abstract
Sex differences have been a rarely addressed aspect in digital game-based learning (DGBL). Likewise, mixed results have been presented regarding the effects according to sex and the conditions that generate these effects. The present work studied the effects of a drill-and-practice mathematical game [...] Read more.
Sex differences have been a rarely addressed aspect in digital game-based learning (DGBL). Likewise, mixed results have been presented regarding the effects according to sex and the conditions that generate these effects. The present work studied the effects of a drill-and-practice mathematical game on primary students. The study focused on an analysis by sex, measuring motivation and learning in the practice activity. Also, two instructional mechanics were considered regarding the question answering to search for possible differences: a multiple-try feedback (MTF) condition and a single-try feedback (STF) condition. A total of 81 students from four courses and two schools participated in the intervention. The study’s main findings were as follows: (a) the girls outperformed the boys in terms of the students’ learning gains; (b) the girls presented lower levels of competence and autonomy than the boys; (c) under MTF, the girls presented lower levels of autonomy but no differences in competence contrasted with the boys; (d) under STF, the girls presented lower levels of competence but no differences in autonomy contrasted with the boys; (e) no sex differences existed in interest, effort, and value, in general, as per the instructional condition. This study enhances the knowledge of sex differences under diverse instructional settings, in particular providing insights into the possible differences by sex when varying the number of attempts provided to students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics))
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17 pages, 417 KiB  
Article
“Knowing I Had Someone to Turn to Was a Great Feeling”: Mentoring Rural-Appalachian STEM Students
by Henrietta S. Gantt, Leia K. Cain, Melinda M. Gibbons, Cherish F. Thomas, Mary K. Wynn, Betsy C. Johnson and Erin E. Hardin
Behav. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 75; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs14010075 - 20 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1650
Abstract
Post-secondary students benefit from mentorships, which provide both emotional and academic support tailored to the unique challenges they face. STEM students, and, in particular, those with historically marginalized identities, have unique strengths and face distinct barriers that can be ameliorated by careful, knowledgeable, [...] Read more.
Post-secondary students benefit from mentorships, which provide both emotional and academic support tailored to the unique challenges they face. STEM students, and, in particular, those with historically marginalized identities, have unique strengths and face distinct barriers that can be ameliorated by careful, knowledgeable, and well-situated mentoring relationships. With that in mind, we conducted a narrative case study with 10 rural-Appalachian STEM majors enrolled in an NSF-funded mentoring program, intending to collect stories of their impactful experiences with their mentors. We utilized the narrative reconstruction process, and, in so doing, identified five major themes related to the importance of mentor assignment and the impact of mentors’ characteristics and skills related to empathy, consistency, active listening, and teaching. We situate our findings within the existing literature and provide implications for scholars and practitioners who work with mentoring programs dedicated to working with Appalachian communities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Psychology of Underrepresentation in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics))
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