“Tracing the Origins of the STEM Gender Gap: The Contribution of Childhood Spatial Skills”, Jing Tian, Kexin Ren, Nora S. Newcombe, Marsha Weinraub, Deborah Lowe Vandell, Elizabeth A. Gunderson2022-07-11 (psychology)⁠:

• Using a national longitudinal dataset, we found 4^th-grade spatial skills directly predicted STEM college major choice after accounting for multiple cognitive and motivational mechanisms.

• Strong spatial skills in 4^th grade also elevated STEM major choice via enhanced math achievement and motivation in the intervening years.

• Gender differences in 4^th-grade spatial skills contributed to women’s underrepresentation in STEM college majors.

Despite some gains, women continue to be underrepresented in many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields.

Using a national longitudinal dataset of 690 participants born in 1991, we tested whether spatial skills, measured in middle childhood, would help explain this gender gap. We modeled the relation between 4^th-grade spatial skills and STEM majors while simultaneously accounting for competing cognitive and motivational mechanisms.

Strong spatial skills in 4^th grade directly increased the likelihood of choosing STEM college majors, above and beyond math achievement and motivation, verbal achievement and motivation, and family background. Additionally, 4^th-grade spatial skills indirectly predicted STEM major choice via math achievement and motivation in the intervening years.

Further, our findings suggest that gender differences in 4^th-grade spatial skills contribute to women’s underrepresentation in STEM majors.

[Keywords: motivation, achievement, gender differences, spatial skills, STEM major]

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