Although women in France now hold, on average, higher qualifications than men – as is the case in most developed countries – they remain significantly under-represented in scientific and technical fields of study and careers, particularly those related to mathematics, physics and computer science. The differences in academic ability between girls and boys in scientific subjects are small and can account for only a small part of these differences in subject choice. Self-confidence, social norms and gender stereotypes, on the other hand, are increasingly cited as key explanatory factors. Based on a large-scale questionnaire survey of 8,500 upper secondary school pupils in the Île-de-France region, this study aims to objectively assess the existence of these factors and to link them to career choices. Firstly, it documents the extent of the differences between girls and boys in terms of their stated interest in science and their self-confidence in scientific subjects. It then reveals that the prevalence of stereotypes concerning scientific professions and the role of women within these professions is far from negligible in school settings. However, when pupils’ study choices are analysed in relation to their performance in mathematics and French, their stated interest in science, their self-confidence and their stereotypical perceptions, it is found that maths ability and stereotypes account for only a very small proportion of the differences in the choice of science-oriented courses between girls and boys. Conversely, a stated interest in science and self-confidence in mathematics – regardless of the indicator used to measure it – account for a significant proportion of the gender-based differences in the choice of science-related courses.
HAL: halshs-02135983
