Does cognitive reflection mediate the math gender gap at university admission in Chile?
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Does cognitive reflection mediate the math gender gap at university admission in Chile? Jairo A. Navarrete1 · José S. Sandoval‑Díaz2 Received: 14 June 2019 / Accepted: 31 January 2020 © Springer Nature B.V. 2020
Abstract In Chile, a vast and persistent gender gap in math performance at university admission has negative consequences for women’s opportunities. International evidence suggests that these gender differences reflect gender inequities in educational and economic opportunities available in a given culture. A theoretical model suggests that sociocultural factors such as gender stereotype and math anxiety have an impact on women’s math abilities by affecting their skills for cognitive reflection. This cross-sectional study collected data from 259 university students to gather preliminary evidence on the close relationship between gender gaps in math achievement and gender gaps in cognitive reflection. A mediation analysis shows that the level of cognitive reflection of students fully mediates the effect of gender on math achievement, even after controlling for participants’ linguistic abilities. These findings support the possibility that there is a close relationship between gender differences in cognitive reflection and gender gaps in math achievement at university admission in Chile. The discussion emphasizes that the university admission’s data is under the control of state agencies with strict protocols of information access that undermines the feasibility of researching this area. Assessments of cognitive reflection are easy to administer in only a few minutes and under laboratory conditions. Hence, one way to boost the viability of research and diagnosis of gender gaps in Chile is to use cognitive reflection assessments as proximal estimates for gender gaps in math performance at university admission. Keywords Cognitive reflection · University admission · Math achievement · Gender gap * Jairo A. Navarrete [email protected] José S. Sandoval‑Díaz [email protected] 1
Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación (ICEd), Universidad de O’Higgins, Av. Libertador Bernardo O’Higgins 611, Rancagua, Chile
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Centro de estudios Ñuble y Grupo de Investigación Género, Ciudadanía y Equidad (GI 170424/EF), Universidad del Bío-Bío, Chillán, Chile
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J. A. Navarrete, J. S. Sandoval‑Díaz
1 Introduction International reports signal gender differences regarding fundamental rights such as health, education, economic participation, and political empowerment across nations (Hausmann et al. 2008). A prominent example of gender inequity across countries appeared in the STEM curriculum, designed to foster social innovation with a focus on educating professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Across the 27 countries of the European Union, females constitute less than 20% of students enrolled in the two dominant STEM careers of computing and engineering (European Commission et al. 2015). In the United States, only 18% of the undergraduate students enrolled in engineer
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