This paper studies how sibling gender composition affects preferences for education within STEM and whether the e?ects on STEM preferences in education persists into labor market outcomes.
Gender Differences in STEM Undergraduates' Vocational Interests: People-thing Orientation and Goal Affordances
This study addressed why women have greater representation in some STEM fields compared to others by linking two theoretical approaches, people-thing orientation and role congruity theory, which emphasizes occupation goal affordances associated with traditionally feminine and masculine roles. Research questions: 1) How do men and women in different majors compare on PO and TO? 2) How are college students’ gender and major choices related to interest in occupations that differ in people and thing characteristics? 3) How are communal and agentic goal affordances associated with occupations that vary in their involvement with people and things? 4) How do students’ PTO and perceptions of occupation goal affordances combine to predict interest in different occupations?