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How Effective are Female Role Models in Steering Girls Towards STEM? Evidence from French High Schools

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas Breda
  • Julien Grenet
  • Marion Monnet
  • Clémentine Van Effenterre

Abstract

We show in a large-scale field experiment that a brief exposure to female role models working in scientific fields affects high school students’ perceptions and choices of undergraduate major. The classroom interventions reduced the prevalence of stereotypical views on jobs in science and gender differences in abilities. They also made high-achieving girls in grade 12 more likely to enrol in selective and male-dominated science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs in college. Comparing treatment effects across the 56 role model participants, we find that the most effective interventions are those that improved students’ perceptions of science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers without overemphasising women’s under-representation in science.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas Breda & Julien Grenet & Marion Monnet & Clémentine Van Effenterre, 2023. "How Effective are Female Role Models in Steering Girls Towards STEM? Evidence from French High Schools," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(653), pages 1773-1809.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:econjl:v:133:y:2023:i:653:p:1773-1809.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/ej/uead019
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    Cited by:

    1. Altmejd, Adam, 2023. "Inheritance of fields of study," Working Paper Series 2023:11, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    2. Suzane Bellue, 2023. "Why Don’t Poor Families Move? A Spatial Equilibirum Analysis of Parental Decisions with Social Learning," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2023_472, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    3. Boneva, Teodora & Buser, Thomas & Falk, Armin & Kosse, Fabian, 2021. "The Origins of Gender Differences in Competitiveness and Earnings Expectations: Causal Evidence from a Mentoring Intervention," IZA Discussion Papers 14800, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Meurs, Dominique & Puhani, Patrick A., 2024. "Culture as a Hiring Criterion: Systemic Discrimination in a Procedurally Fair Hiring Process," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    5. Blazar, David & Gao, Wenjing & Gershenson, Seth & Goings, Ramon & Lagos, Francisco, 2024. "Do Grow-Your-Own Programs Work? Evidence from the Teacher Academy of Maryland," IZA Discussion Papers 16983, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Angus Holford & Sonkurt Sen, 2023. "Racial Representation Among Academics and Students’ Academic and Labor Market Outcomes," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2023_471, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    7. Gomez-Ruiz, Marcela & Cervini-Plá, María & Ramos, Xavier, 2024. "Do Women Fare Worse When Men Are Around? Quasi-Experimental Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 16782, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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