ERIC Number: EJ1413200
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0311-6999
EISSN: EISSN-2210-5328
How Do Occupational Goals Influence Adult Women's and Men's Decisions to Opt out of Aspired Mathematics-Related Careers during Adolescence?
Australian Educational Researcher, v51 n1 p381-401 2024
An explanation for the underrepresentation of women in mathematical fields is the communal goal congruity perspective; that women tend to value communal over agentic goals, perceived to not be afforded by mathematical careers. Less is known about how agentic and communal goals may interact to influence mathematical career trajectories. Analysing a longitudinal dataset, we examined gender differences and combinations of agentic and communal goals, and how goal groups associated with trajectories from adolescent aspirations until actual careers. Among 279 participants followed from secondary school until approximately 20 years later, women valued communal goals higher than men but agentic goals similarly. Despite similar mathematical achievement, the low agentic/high communal goal group was the only group to decline in their choice of a mathematics-related career. There were more women in this group than men, concordant with the communal goal congruity perspective. Implications for future research and educational practice are discussed.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Gender Differences, Secondary School Students, Longitudinal Studies, Adults, Grade 9, Grade 10, Grade 11, Occupational Aspiration, Career Choice, STEM Careers, Gender Bias, Adolescent Attitudes, Self Concept, Negative Attitudes
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Secondary Education; Grade 9; High Schools; Junior High Schools; Middle Schools; Grade 10; Grade 11
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A