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Women Sexism

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Science is the study wherein hypotheses are tested and logic is built upon facts and objectivity. With this in mind it would seem obvious that the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) fields should be the first fields of study to discard outdated stereotypes and embrace a new, largely untapped resource of professionals—women. However, research would indicate this is not the case, and that the situation is actually quite the opposite. It is often stated that women are underrepresented in STEM fields due to a “gender bias”, however, it is important to verify common knowledge statements such as this one to discover if they are true. Through the study of five peer reviewed, psychological studies, the conclusion that can …show more content…

gender biases and stereotyping) and explicit sexism (e.g. outright discrimination on the bases of sex). In this paper, I look at the gap of women compared to men studying sciences and maths; as well, I look into the disparity between women achieving biological and environmental science degrees as opposed to women achieving maths and physics intensive degrees. Furthermore, conclusions are drawn on the receptiveness of women compared to men when confronted with information on this gender gap, and which sex possibly plays a bigger part in its propagation. These questions are explored through a variety of psychological journals covering women’s positions in STEM, the role of diversity in science, and what effects, if any, gender bias— implicit sexism— has on the representation of women in these …show more content…

In “Quality of Evidence Revealing Subtle Gender Biases in Science is in the Eye of the Beholder,” Handley et al. perform two double blind experiments to test the receptiveness of women compared to men, and STEM opposed to non-STEM faculty, on research revealing a gender bias in sciences. The paper concludes “[A] relative reluctance among men… To accept evidence of gender biases in STEM” (Handley et al. 13201). Robnett’s article “Gender Bias in STEM Fields: Variation in Prevalence and Links to STEM Self-Concept” finds that 61% (65) of the girls and women who took part of the study had experienced some sort of gender bias within their year of study. LaCosse et al. explore STEM stereotypic attribution bias (SSAB) in “STEM Stereotypic Attribution Bias among Women in an Unwelcoming Science Setting.” Published in Psychology of Women Quarterly, “Climate Perceptions and Identity Interference among Undergraduate Women in STEM: The Protective Role of Gender Identity,” studies “the link between identity interference and well-being” (Settles et al. 488). Final, Stirling’s “A general framework for analysing diversity in science, technology and society” outlines the importance of diversity within the fields of science and technology and how it may affect the scientific process. These five articles are rooted in prior research, experimentation, and data: the conclusions they draw

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