Scientists have named an unexpected reason why boys know math better than girls
Boys are better at math than girls because they are more confident and positive about the subject. This conclusion was reached by Australian researchers after analyzing the results of the NAPLAN national tests.
In addition, an important indicator of students' performance in mathematics is the PISA test. Thus, in 2022, 53% of Australian boys reached the national standard in math compared to 48% of girls. The gender gap in average scores was also greater in Australia than in the countries of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), School News reports.
Studies show that students' confidence affects their academic performance. Scientists can call it self-efficacy or the belief in the ability to successfully complete tasks and solve problems.
Why boys are better at math
Source: Freepik
Students with high self-efficacy accept challenges, use effective problem-solving strategies, and persevere despite difficulties. Those with low self-efficacy may avoid tasks, feel anxious, and perform poorly due to a lack of confidence in their math abilities.
For example, girls in the highest quartile of the self-reported "self-efficacy index" scored an average of 568 points in the PISA math test, which is 147 points higher than the average score of girls in the lowest quartile on this index.
For boys, the advantage of confidence was even more pronounced. Those in the top quarter of the index scored on average 159 points higher in math than those in the bottom quarter.
Why boys are better at math than girls
Source: Freepik
On average, adolescent boys showed that they were more confident than female students when performing applied math tasks. In particular, such as:
- finding distances on a map;
- calculating power consumption;
- calculating how much more expensive a computer will be after adding tax;
- calculating how many square meters of tiles are needed to cover a floor.
According to PISA data, Australian boys on average have a more positive attitude towards math than girls. For example, in response to the statement "math is easy for me", only 41% of female students agreed against 55% of male students.
In response to the statement "math is one of my favorite subjects", 37% of female students agreed compared to 49% of male students.
Scientists tell why boys like math more
Scientists say that when parents talk to their children about math at home, it helps to build positive attitudes and perseverance.
As you know, according to PISA-2022 data released by the New Ukrainian School, boys are 10 points ahead of girls in math: 446 and 436 points, respectively. In science, the losses of girls and boys over the 4 years between study cycles are almost the same (18 and 20 points, respectively). The difference in math performance between boys and girls in OECD countries is 9 points, while there is no gap in natural sciences (it is zero).
Earlier, OBOZ.UA reported that the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) showed that boys have much better results in solving math problems than girls. According to the findings, social factors and individual motivation play a role in the gender gap.
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