POSSIBLE DETERMINANTS OF GENDER DIF ON THE ADVANCED PLACEMENT PSYCHOLOGY TEST: FAMILIARITY, INTEREST, AND EMOTIONAL REACTION

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study evaluated the connection between gender differences in Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology students' familiarity, interest, and negative emotional reaction to items on the AP Psychology test and the items' gender differential item functioning (DDF). Gender DDF and gender differences in interest and emotional reaction varied appreciably with the content of the items. Gender differences in the three variables were substantially related to the items' gender DDF (e.g., R = .50). Much of the gender DDF on this test may be attributable to gender differences in these variables.