Kids, teens believe girls aren’t interested in computer science

Children as young as age 6 develop ideas that girls are less interested than boys in computer science and engineering - stereotypes that can extend into the late teens and contribute to a gender gap in STEM college courses and related careers. New research from the University of Houston and the University of Washington, published Nov. 22 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explores the gender-based beliefs young children and teens hold about interest in STEM fields. The majority of children believe girls are less interested than boys in computer science and engineering, the study shows. "Gender-interest stereotypes that STEM is for boys begins in grade school, and by the time they reach high school, many girls have made their decision not to pursue degrees in computer science and engineering because they feel they don't belong," said Allison Master , an assistant professor of Psychological, Health and Learning Sciences at the University of Houston and the study's lead author. The PNAS study involved four different studies - a mix of surveys and designed experiments to capture the beliefs of a racially diverse sample of children and teens in grades 1 through 12. Researchers wanted to focus on interest, building on past studies of stereotypes about ability , to learn how gender-based stereotypes about who likes - not just who is "good" at - computer science and engineering can affect a child's sense of belonging and willingness to participate.