According to a study from the University of Zurich, there is a gender gap in math confidence that is influenced by social mechanisms. Boys are more influenced by peer comparisons, while girls’ confidence is more likely to be based on their objective performance.
Studies indicate that in Western cultures, the typical high school girl is less self-assured about her math skills compared to boys of the same age. However, there is no noticeable disparity in the actual performance of boys and girls in math. This situation is frequently described as girls lacking confidence in their abilities, while boys may be overly confident.
The discrepancy in math confidence has significant implications: one’s perceived competence has an impact on the choices they make in education and career. Young individuals tend to pursue university majors and professions in which they feel they excel in. Consequently, women are not well represented in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects at the university level and in high-paying STEM careers.
Insights into varying self-perceptions are provided by peer processes
A research conducted by the University of Zurich (UZH) delves into a previously overlooked aspect of the math confidence gap: the influence of peer relationships. “During adolescence, peers play a crucial role in individual development as the main social reference. Through friendship networks, peer processes have a significant impact on various individual outcomes,” explained Isabel Raabe, the lead author of the study.The study, conducted by the Department of Sociology at UZH, involved analyzing data from 8,812 individuals in 358 classrooms using longitudinal social network analysis.
The results showed that math confidence is mainly predicted by individual math grades. Girls tended to directly relate their grades to their self-assessment, while boys with below-average grades still believed they were good at math.
Boys are often overconfident and influenced by social dynamics
The study suggests that boys are more influenced by social processes in their self-perception, seeking validation by comparing themselves to others.just adjust their confidence accordingly,” Raabe explains. “When they were faced with girls’ self-evaluations in friendships with the opposite gender, their confidence in math tended to decrease.” Peers’ self-evaluations were not as important to girls’ confidence in math. Their personal assessment appeared to be influenced more by actual performance.
Gender stereotypes did not seem to have negative social effects on either boys or girls. “We discovered that confidence in math is often linked to better social inclusion, both in friendships with the same gender and opposite gender,” Raabe said. Therefore, there was no proof of harmful peer norms pushing girls toThe study indicates that boys value their math skills more and adjust their self-assessment in peer interactions, while math confidence does not seem to have the same social relevance for girls. It is important not to underestimate the math skills of either gender.
