The study found that the female students had an aversion to subjects that required analytical thinking and did not require much social and emotional skills in everyday working life.
Keystone / Gaetan Bally
Women are less likely than men to pursue maths-related subjects due to preconceived notions about these fields, despite having comparable mathematical aptitude to men, according to a sociological study by the University of Zurich (UZH).
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/amva
The study, conducted by UZH sociologist Benita Combet, presented 1,500 female and male high school students with various fictitious fields of study with distinct characteristics. Combet found that the female students had an aversion to subjects that required analytical thinking and did not require much social and emotional skills in everyday working life. The female students also preferred occupational fields with the possibility of part-time work.
The results also show that women have higher risk and competition aversion than men, and they tend to avoid competitive situations, even if their performance does not differ from their male counterpart. In addition, the social norms that expect women to behave communally and present themselves in a self-deprecating way undermine their odds in competitive and bargaining situations, resulting in them avoiding competitive fields for fear of being penalised for violating these norms.
However, the ability to think logically is a basic prerequisite for almost every course of study. There is a necessity to better inform young women about the subjects they study, and demonstrate the importance of interpersonal and creative skills in engineering studies.
Combet explained that strong gender-specific stereotypes about logical thinking style and technical skills significantly influence the decision of female high school students and called for these stereotypes to be challenged.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
Has your continent reached its peak or is there still potential for economic growth?
Some regions of the world are on an upward trajectory with the promise of a steadily improving future. Where do you live? And in which direction is your region or continent developing?
Living longer: What do you think about the longevity trend?
The longevity market is booming thanks in part to advances in the science of ageing. What do you think of the idea of significantly extending human lifespan?
WTO improves its world trade forecast thanks to Trump’s tariffs
This content was published on
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) expects world trade to grow by 0.9% this year, better than expected in April. US imports surged in the first quarter as a result of Donald Trump's tariff announcements.
Swiss gold exports might not face US tariffs after all
This content was published on
Gold exports to the United States may not be taxed after all. The White House plans to "issue an executive order in the near future to clarify misinformation regarding the taxation of gold bullion," among other things.
Heat warning issued in western and southern Switzerland
This content was published on
With the coming days set to be hot, authorities have declared a danger level of 3 out of 5 for certain parts of the country.
Switzerland concerned by fresh Israeli plans for Gaza
This content was published on
The foreign ministry has said it is “deeply concerned” about Israel’s plans to expand military operations in the Gaza Strip.
Elderly Swiss women bring European court’s first climate case
This content was published on
A group of Swiss women have taken their government to Strasbourg over what they claim is its failure to take stronger action on climate change.
This content was published on
The Taliban have banned women from working for aid agencies. This week on the Inside Geneva podcast, host Imogen Foulkes asks: what will this mean?
This content was published on
Firms invested CHF16.8 billion ($18 billion) in research and development activities in Switzerland last year, a 4% increase compared to 2019.
Women’s organisations satisfied one year after historic session
This content was published on
One year after the Women’s Session 2021, an alliance of women’s organisations has drawn a positive assessment of the exercise.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.