ERIC Number: EJ1237391
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Nov
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1381-2890
EISSN: N/A
Fear of the Known? The Effect of Peer Relevance and Gender on Women's Math Performance under Threat
Marx, David M.
Social Psychology of Education: An International Journal, v22 n5 p1197-1214 Nov 2019
The goal of the current research was to investigate the impact of peer comparisons on female participants' math performance when the peers varied on comparison relevance and gender. Specifically, the two studies presented here explored the question of whether male peers, who are seen as less relevant, can serve as peer role models (PRM) for female participants taking a math exam under stereotype threat conditions. Comparison relevance was manipulated by exposing participants to math-talented male and female peers who were from participants' school or from another school. The key finding from Study1 demonstrated that exposure to relevant male peers lead to lower math performance compared to less relevant male peers. Study 2 replicated this key finding using a different manipulation of relevance. Together the findings indicate that when male peers are viewed as less relevant (and thus less threatening) they can serve as PRMs for female participants in "stereotyped" math situations.
Descriptors: Mathematics Achievement, Gender Differences, Females, Peer Relationship, Role Models, Males, Talent, Sex Stereotypes, Competition
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: National Science Foundation (NSF)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: DRL1535117