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

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  • Thomas Breda

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Julien Grenet

    (PSE - Paris School of Economics - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement, PJSE - Paris Jourdan Sciences Economiques - UP1 - Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne - ENS-PSL - École normale supérieure - Paris - PSL - Université Paris Sciences et Lettres - EHESS - École des hautes études en sciences sociales - ENPC - École des Ponts ParisTech - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement)

  • Marion Monnet

    (IREDU - Institut de Recherche sur l'Education : Sociologie et Economie de l'Education [Dijon] - UB - Université de Bourgogne - UBFC - Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté [COMUE])

  • Clémentine van Effenterre

    (University of Toronto)

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 choice 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 STEM 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 STEM careers without overemphasizing 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," Post-Print hal-04012314, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04012314
    DOI: 10.1093/ej/uead019
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://u-bourgogne.hal.science/hal-04012314v1
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Anderson, Michael L, 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley, Working Paper Series qt15n8j26f, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics, UC Berkeley.
    2. Anderson, Michael L., 2008. "Multiple Inference and Gender Differences in the Effects of Early Intervention: A Reevaluation of the Abecedarian, Perry Preschool, and Early Training Projects," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 103(484), pages 1481-1495.
    3. Imbens,Guido W. & Rubin,Donald B., 2015. "Causal Inference for Statistics, Social, and Biomedical Sciences," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521885881, October.
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    Cited by:

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    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. 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).
    6. 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).
    7. 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.

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    Keywords

    Role models; Gender gap; STEM; Stereotypes; Choice of study;
    All these keywords.

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