How stereotype knowledge and stereotype belief impact girls’ self-efficacy and math performance: A response surface analysis approach

Abstract

Background

A substantial body of research attributes the differences in mathematics achievement between girls and boys to gender stereotypes.

Aims

This study aimed to examine the role of stereotype knowledge and stereotype beliefs on self-efficacy and performance in mathematics.

Sample

At the beginning of the academic year, 566 fifth-grade students (51.9% girls, 48.1% boys) aged 11–13 years in French schools were surveyed regarding their stereotype knowledge and beliefs related to gender performance in math. Self-efficacy and academic performance were assessed at the end of junior high school.

Method

Data were analyzed using Response Surface Analysis to investigate the combined effect of stereotype beliefs and knowledge on self-efficacy and math performance.

Results

The findings indicated that girls with either very high or very low alignment between stereotype beliefs and stereotype knowledge exhibited lower self-efficacy compared to girls with average alignment scores. Additionally, the discrepancy between stereotype beliefs and stereotype knowledge is associated with both self-efficacy and math performance. When stereotype belief scores exceeded stereotype knowledge scores, it predicted lower self-efficacy and performance. For boys, the highest self-efficacy occurred when combining a high stereotype belief score with a low stereotype knowledge score, or vice versa. The direction of the discrepancy is also linked to their math performance, where higher stereotype belief scores relative to stereotype knowledge scores predict better performance.

Conclusion

This study underscores the significance of considering the non-linear relationship between stereotype knowledge, stereotype belief, self-efficacy, and performance, offering valuable insights into the impact of gender stereotypes in math.