A Cognitive Interpretation of the Marginality and Underrepresentation of Women in Science

Abstract

This article represents an effort to present additional considerations possibly related to the underrepresentation and marginal position of women in science. Prevailing interpretations are based upon the idea that cultural prejudice, namely role stereotypes, inhibit women from aspiring to a scientific career [ 12, 22]. One would expect this to result in a pervasive pattern of self-selection toward other careers, and in fact, it does. But the cultural factors that are enlightening in explaining the usual paths women take are much less revealing when applied to the career behavior of women who are not guided by normative expectations [22]. Extrapolations from general cultural expectations (the fear of success syndrome, or the fear of competition, for example) do not adequately and thoroughly explain what happens to women who do overcome the sex role barriers and actually embark on careers in science [3, 17, 31]. Not only do fewer women than men undertake a scientific career and proportionately more women than men drop out of science majors in college, but women who do persevere and obtain graduate degrees in science fare less well in gaining positions and the other rewards of success. Women tend to concentrate in small, nonresearch institutions where they are professionally isolated and remote from the scientific means of production [26]. A disproportionately high rate of women