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The effect of gender and race on student performance in principles of economics: the importance of personality type

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  • Mary O'Malley Borg
  • Harriet Stranahan

Abstract

Do women and minorities perform more poorly in economics courses than their white male counterparts? There are a number of studies that indicate that they do (Siegfried, 1979; Ferber, et al., 1983; Lumsden and Scott, 1987; Gohmann and Specter, 1989; Watts and Lynch, 1989; Anderson, et al., 1994). In addition, there are some studies that indicate that students' personality types adversely affect their performance in economics courses, as well (Borg and Shapiro, 1996; Zeigert, 2000). However, no one has yet studied how a student's personality type combines with race and gender to affect performance in economics courses. To explore this issue, this study tests for the statistical significance of a number of interaction effects between race and gender and the Kiersey-Bates temperament types in an ordered probit model explaining a student's grade in Principles of Macroeconomics. It is concluded that race and gender do matter in a student's performance in Principles of Macroeconomics, but not in a simple, direct way. Race and gender combine with temperament type to form more subtle, interactive effects on a student's probability of success in economics. In our particular sample of 119 students at the University of North Florida, female NF and NT students and non-white NT students performed more poorly in Principles of Macroeconomics than their counterparts who did not have these gender/temperament or race/temperament combinations.

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  • Mary O'Malley Borg & Harriet Stranahan, 2002. "The effect of gender and race on student performance in principles of economics: the importance of personality type," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(5), pages 589-598.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:34:y:2002:i:5:p:589-598
    DOI: 10.1080/00036840110039249
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mary O. Borg & Stephen L. Shapiro, 1996. "Personality Type and Student Performance in Principles of Economics," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 27(1), pages 3-25, January.
    2. Buckles, Stephen & Freeman, Vera, 1983. "Male-Female Differences in the Stock and Flow of Economic Knowledge," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 65(2), pages 355-358, May.
    3. Watts, Michael, 1987. "Student Gender and School District Differences Affecting the Stock and Flow of Economic Knowledge," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 69(3), pages 561-566, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kristin Stowe, 2010. "A Quick Argument for Active Learning: The Effectiveness of One-Minute Papers," Journal for Economic Educators, Middle Tennessee State University, Business and Economic Research Center, vol. 10(1), pages 33-39, Summer.
    2. Md.Abdulla Al Mamun, 2019. "Assessing the Gender Effects on Students’ Accounting Course Performance in Bangladesh: A case study of Bangladesh University of Business & Technology," Journal of Business, LAR Center Press, vol. 4(1), pages 1-8, January.
    3. Sue Stockly, 2009. "Is Race a Determinant of Student Performance in Economics?," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 181-195, December.
    4. Arlette Beltrán Barco & Karlos La Serna Studzinski, 2008. "¿Qué explica el rendimiento académico en el primer año de estudios universitarios? Un estudio de caso en la Universidad del Pacífico," Working Papers 08-09, Centro de Investigación, Universidad del Pacífico.
    5. Dino Alves & Ana Balcao Reis & Carmo Seabra & Luis Catela-Nunes, 2015. "Determinants of Academic Success in Economics and Management," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 10, in: Marta Rahona López & Jennifer Graves (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 10, edition 1, volume 10, chapter 17, pages 335-356, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    6. Kim Sosin & Betty J. Lecha & Rajshree Agarwal & Robin L. Bartlett & Joseph I. Daniel, 2004. "Efficiency in the Use of Technology in Economic Education: Some Preliminary Results," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(2), pages 253-258, May.
    7. Tsui-Fang Lin & Jennjou Chen, 2006. "Cumulative class attendance and exam performance," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(14), pages 937-942.
    8. Ivo J. M. Arnold & Wietske Rowaan, 2014. "First-Year Study Success in Economics and Econometrics: The Role of Gender, Motivation, and Math Skills," The Journal of Economic Education, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(1), pages 25-35, March.
    9. Zhang, Lemin & Marsh, Dan, 2006. "How Can We Predict Performance in Tertiary Level Economics?," 2006 Conference, August 24-25, 2006, Nelson, New Zealand 31974, New Zealand Agricultural and Resource Economics Society.
    10. Peter Davies & Ross Guest, 2010. "What effect do we really have on students' understanding and attitudes? How do we know?," International Review of Economic Education, Economics Network, University of Bristol, vol. 9(1), pages 6-9.
    11. David Sabiston & Ambrose Leung & Gianfranco Terrazzano, 2017. "Learning styles and performance in principles of economics: does the gender gap exist?," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 37(4), pages 2935-2944.
    12. Dries Lens & François Levrau, 2020. "Can Pre-entry Characteristics Account for the Ethnic Attainment Gap? An Analysis of a Flemish University," Research in Higher Education, Springer;Association for Institutional Research, vol. 61(1), pages 26-50, February.

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