Gender Disparities In Participation Research Articles

Demographic Dynamics in Investment Behavior: A Comprehensive Study on Gender, Occupation, and Financial Decision-Making Patterns

This study explores the intricate interplay between demographic factors, specifically gender and occupation, and various dimensions of investment behavior. A significant gender disparity in participation is acknowledged, emphasizing the need for equitable representation in financial research. The majority of participants perceive their investment knowledge as "Intermediate," underscoring a moderate level of confidence. The study investigates information sources, decision-making preferences, portfolio review frequencies, financial goals, and preferred investment types, unraveling nuanced patterns across genders and occupations. Findings reveal a shared reliance on "Financial News" and "Professional Advice" for investment decisions, with notable gender-based differences. Preferences for independent decision-making or financial advisor assistance exhibit balanced distributions. Weekly portfolio reviews emerge as a common practice, particularly in service occupations. "Wealth Accumulation" stands out as the dominant financial goal, though gender and occupation nuances surface. The most prevalent investment type is "Stock & Mutual Funds," with variations by gender and occupation. The study concludes by offering recommendations for tailoring communication strategies, enhancing educational initiatives, adopting client-centric approaches, and aligning products and services with diverse investor goals and preferences. By shedding light on these demographic dynamics, the study provides actionable insights for financial institutions, advisors, and policymakers seeking to better understand and serve the diverse needs of investors in an ever-evolving financial landscape.

Do Virtual Environments Close the Gender Gap in Participation in Question-and-Answer Sessions at Academic Conferences? In Search of Moderation by Conference Format

AbstractConsistent with power and status differences between men and women in society, men tend to participate more than women do in question-and-answer (Q&A) sessions at in-person academic conferences. This gap in participation in scientific discourse may perpetuate the status quo. The current research examines whether this gender gap in participation in Q&A sessions extends to virtual conferences, which have become more prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to shifts in conference formats to enable asynchronous, anonymous, and/or simultaneous participation, we examined whether virtual conferences are more inclusive, and mitigate the gender gap in Q&A participation. Across four virtual conferences that varied in gender representation and Q&A structured format, men continued to take a disproportionate amount of time and space in Q&A sessions. Disproportionate participation did not significantly vary between in-person and virtual formats and did not systematically vary by how the Q&A session was organized. In an all-chat virtual conference, gender differences in volubility were attenuated among higher status academics. Gendered participation and volubility were also impacted by which sub-discipline the presentation was in. Discussion considers the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for understanding the persistence of gender inequality in science. We encourage future research that attends to the cultural factors that promote or mitigate gender disparities in participation.

Gender Disparities in AP Computer Science Exams: Analysis of Trends in Participation and top Achievement

Using the test scores of more than 1,000,000 students who participated in the Advanced Placement Computer Science (AP CS) exams from 1997 to 2020, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trends in gender disparity in participation and top achievement in advanced exams. The findings indicated that the male-to-female ratio (MFR) among AP Computer Science (CS) exam participants declined from 4.87 to 2.26 between 1997 and 2020. Similarly, the MFR among top scorers (students who scored 5 out of 5) in any type of AP CS exams declined rapidly, in favor of female students, from 8.00 to 2.14 during the same period. Possible implications of these findings for educators, particularly for AP CS teachers and school counselors, were also discussed in the context of the underrepresentation of females in computing fields.

Michigan Men\u2019s diabetes project (MenD): protocol for a peer leader diabetes self-management education and support intervention

BackgroundBlack men are more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to non-Hispanic White men, and this disparity increases among men over the age of 55. A growing body of literature demonstrates the critical role of gender in the management of health behaviors such as T2D and shows that male gender norms can conflict with healthy behaviors. These studies suggest that tailoring diabetes self-management interventions to address the needs of Black men may be critical to helping them to achieve optimal health outcomes. Further, our own research on Blacks with T2D found gender disparities in participation in diabetes interventions, with males participating at significantly lower rates than females. Peer leaders are trained lay individuals who are used to provide ongoing diabetes self-management support to people with diabetes, particularly in minority communities. However, despite studies showing that diabetes management interventions using peer leaders have been successful, the majority of peer leaders as well as the participants in those studies are women. The limited studies to date suggest that Black men with T2D prefer peer-led, male-to-male T2D programs, however, this research consists primarily of nonrandomized, small sample feasibility studies calling for additional studies to establish the efficacy of these approaches. The proposed study will develop and preliminarily validate the effectiveness of an adapted peer leader diabetes self-management support (PLDSMS) intervention designed to improve diabetes-related lifestyle and self-management behaviors in Black men (over 55) with T2D.MethodWe propose to tailor an existing intervention by 1) our using male peers and 2) modifying the peer leader training content to focus on material appropriate for men. The proposed study includes a developmental phase (development of the intervention with expert feedback, followed by feasibility testing with Black men) and a validation phase [randomized clinical trial (RCT)].DiscussionIf successful, this study will lead to the development and dissemination of an intervention that will address the unique needs of Black men with T2D, helping them to achieve optimal diabetes self-management and health outcomes.Trial registrationRegistered at ClinicalTrials.gov with an ID NCT04760444 on February 17, 2021

Beyond biology: The importance of cultural factors in explaining gender disparities in STEM preferences

Gender disparities in participation in many STEM fields, particularly computer science, engineering, and physics, remain prevalent in Western societies. Stewart-Williams and Halsey contend that an important contributor to these disparities is gender differences in career-related preferences that are driven partly by biology. We argue that Stewart-Williams and Halsey understate the influence of cultural factors in shaping these preferences. We provide evidence for an important and overlooked cultural factor that contributes to gender disparities in computer science, engineering, and physics: masculine defaults. Masculine defaults exist when cultures value and reward traits and characteristics associated with the male gender role and see them as standard ( Cheryan & Markus, 2020 ). We provide examples of how changing computer science, engineering, and physics cultures can decrease gender disparities in participation. Finally, we discuss policy implications, specifically the importance of (1) recognizing that preferences for STEM are malleable and (2) addressing exclusionary cultures of STEM fields. Recognizing and changing exclusionary STEM cultures are important for creating a society that is more just and equitable.

Trends in Gender Disparities Among High-Achieving Students in Mathematics: An Analysis of the American Mathematics Competition (AMC)

Using the test scores of more than 2,250,000 students who participated in the American Mathematics Competitions (AMC) from 2009 to 2019, this study examined the direction and magnitude of the trends in gender disparity in participation and high achievement in self-select mathematics exams. The results of this study indicated that the male to female ratio among the AMC participants increased significantly from 2009 to 2019. The findings also showed an established disparity that favored males for each year and for all competitions in both the top 1% and 5% levels, while the trend in the male to female ratios over a decade was stable, except for the top 1% of the population in the AMC 8, in which there was a significant increasing trend that favored males. The possible impacts of these findings within the context of the underrepresentation of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields are discussed.

The Impact of Gender on International Relations Simulations

Model United Nations (MUN) simulations are an increasingly popular approach to teaching international relations, in both secondary and tertiary education. There is some evidence, however, that these simulations disadvantage female participants. Studies by Rosenthal et al. and Coughlin found that female students participate less in simulations than their male classmates. This may limit the value of simulations, which have otherwise been recognized as an effective active learning technique. This study investigates the impact of gender, and an intervention designed to address gender disparities in participation, on a MUN simulation conducted in a second-year undergraduate course. The study confirmed previous findings that women participate less than men, relative to their representation, and that this impacted their resulting grades. Participation was lowest on traditionally masculine topics. Furthermore, women enjoyed the simulation less than men, felt less included, and were less likely to report an increase in their confidence as negotiators following the simulation. The intervention we conducted, designed to ameliorate gender disparities in participation, was unsuccessful and may have inadvertently created a stereotype threat. This highlights that students come to the classroom with strongly gendered expectations, and that a short-term, explicit approach to addressing such expectations is insufficient.

Why don’t “real men” learn languages? Masculinity threat and gender ideology suppress men’s language learning motivation

Large gender disparities in participation still exist across many university subjects and career fields, but few studies have examined factors that account for gender gaps in female-dominated disciplines. We examine one possible cause: threatened masculinity among men who hold traditional gender ideologies. Past research has linked endorsement of traditional gender ideologies to gender-stereotypical occupational choices, and threats to masculinity can lead men to distance themselves from femininity. After confirming that 1,672 undergraduates stereotyped language learning as feminine, we applied a masculinity threat manipulation to investigate 182 men’s disinterest in studying foreign languages, a female-dominated university subject. Men with traditional masculinity ideologies reported less interest in foreign language study and less positive attitudes towards foreign languages following masculinity threat, compared to men whose masculinity was affirmed or who held less traditional masculinity beliefs. Traditional masculine gender roles may lead some men to avoid feminine-typed domains, such as foreign language learning.

GENDER INFLUENCE ON PARTICIPATION IN CASSAVA VALUE CHAINS IN SMALLHOLDER FARMING SECTORS: EVIDENCE FROM KIGOMA REGION, TANZANIA

SUMMARYWhen the agricultural value chain involves profit making, it results in changes in the production and distribution relationships among men and women in terms of access to and control of markets, resources and benefits emanating from product value chain participation. This affects not only individual incomes but also gender equality. This study examined gender relationships in the cassava value chain in the Kigoma region of Tanzania. The aim was to assess gender participation in the cassava value chain. Multi-stage sampling was used to select the respondents in four districts. A structured questionnaire was administered to 384 randomly selected household heads. A chi-square test was used to test for significant relationships among the variables. Results indicated that gender was significantly related to socio-economic characteristics. About 34% of the women participating in the cassava value chain were young, some below 17 years of age. There were significant relationships between gender and access to resources (land, extension services and markets), control over resources (land, house and household assets) and benefits (revenue) generated from cassava value chains. Overall, there was gender disparity in participation along the cassava value chain. These results suggest that any intervention in the cassava value chain should consider gender relations to benefit men and women and alleviate household poverty.

Understanding the Influence of Gender on Degree of Teacher Participation in Decision-making in Schools

KEYWORDS Decentralization.Devolution. High Schools. Zimbabwe.Gender Disparity ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to establish gender disparity in teacher participation in decision- making in high schools in Zimbabwe. The literature review for this study aimed at providing the necessary theoretical framework put forward by theorists and researchers within which the same issue of gender disparity in participation in decision-making in schools was discussed and analyzed. The study adopted an interpretive qualitative research methodology and a case study research design. A purposive convenient sample of 5 school hea ds and 20 secondary school teachers formed the study. Data were collected through face to face interviews, documentary analysis and observation of two staff meetings per school. The research findings indicate that all teachers were involved in decision-making but their degree of involvement varies according to position, seniority and expertise from issue to issue and from school to school. It was also noted that teacher participation was greatly influenced by the importance of the matter at hand and not by gender of participants.

Identification of Factors Contributing to Gender Disparity in an Ethiopian University

This study aims to identify factors that underpin gender disparity in participation in higher education in the context of an Ethiopian public university. Data were generated using a semi-structured interview with 20 female undergraduates and quantitative information obtained from University's Registrar Office. The results show that enrolment has increased in absolute numbers while female dismissal rates soared alarmingly between 2000/01-2004/05. To bridge the gender disparity in participation, the paper recommends intervention strategies aimed at bolstering academic achievement and positive self-concept among female students.