Self-Concept Profiles in Lower Secondary Level - An Explanation for Gender Differences in Science Course Selection?

Steffani Saß,Nele Kampa

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00836

Steffani Saß, Nele Kampa

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00836

Copy DOI

Abstract

One of the most powerful determinants of course selection in upper secondary level is undoubtedly students’ self-concept. Students with a high self-concept in a domain are more likely to select a course in that domain. However, according to the dimensional comparison theory, the formation of self-concept includes comparison processes with self-concepts in other domains. Regarding gender, females are less likely to choose physics and are more likely to have lower STEM self-concepts as well as lower aspirations toward STEM careers than males. In Germany, students in Grade 10 choose specific academic tracks to attend during upper secondary school. The academic track choice goes in hand with choosing advanced courses. This choice entails the decision about whether to pursue STEM subjects. We adopted the person-centered approach of latent profile analysis (LPA) to investigate the patterns of students’ self-concepts across the five domains, math, biology, reading, English, and physics. Furthermore, we investigated how those patterns influence educational choices regarding science subjects in upper secondary school in Germany. Based on a sample of 1,658 students, we tested whether the distinct profiles of self-concept in different domains in Grade 8 predicted gendered science course selection in Grade 10 as well as career aspirations in science. LPAs yielded four distinct profiles of self-concept that differed in level and shape: high math, high verbal, low overall, and high overall. These profiles were equivalent across gender. Gender differences were manifested in the relative distribution across the four profiles: females were more present in the low overall and high verbal-related self-concept profiles and males in the overall high and high math-related self-concept profiles. The profiles differed regarding abilities, choice of science course in upper secondary level, and science career aspirations.

Highlights

Despite women increasingly entering higher education and occupations in general, they are still underrepresented in STEM occupations and university attendance
We investigated the relation of these profiles to science course selection and career aspirations
Before proceeding to the hypothesis testing, we report the descriptive findings of self-concept and the achievement means of males and females

Summary

Introduction

Despite women increasingly entering higher education and occupations in general, they are still underrepresented in STEM occupations and university attendance (additional material of National Science Foundation, 2003, 2015a,b; Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development [OECD], 2006, 2016). Previous studies have found that, while females already opt out of STEM subjects during school, males more frequently choose advanced science-related or math subjects (Pinxten et al, 2012) These first decisions in favor of or against STEM courses in secondary school influence future long-term educational aspirations such as the decision for STEM studies and occupations (Trusty, 2002; Ayalon, 2003; Lörz et al, 2011). Few studies have investigated the effects of a combination of different academic self-concepts on course selection (Nagy et al, 2006; Marsh et al, 2009; Guo et al, 2017) These studies found that students compare their perceived abilities in various domains and form specific self-concept configurations, which in turn might influence course selection. We take a long-term approach by not investigating males and females self-concepts at the time of academic choices toward science but by investigating the impact of early self-concept on later academic choices

Objectives

Methods

Results