It doesn’t always have to be this way: promoting girls’ interest in STEM through growth mindsets and structural explanations of gender differences

Gender gaps in motivation for STEM fields emerge at an early age and generally persist as children become older. Viewing these gender differences in motivation as malleable rather than fixed or inherent may reduce stereotyping and promote girls’ motivation in STEM. The current paper reports findings from two preregistered experimental intervention studies. These interventions targeted girls’ beliefs about stability (Study 1) and external attributions for gender differences (Study 2). Study 1 ( N = 381) examined whether a growth mindset intervention could increase Grade 6 and 8 students’ motivation for computer science. There was some evidence that girls in the intervention condition reported higher motivation on some outcomes, and exploratory findings further confirmed the importance of girls’ motivational beliefs. Study 2 ( N = 220) examined whether teaching 11- and 12-year-old girls about external, structural explanations for gender differences could influence their interest in a novel STEM activity. Exploratory results showed that structural explanations dampened gender stereotypes and also promoted belief in the malleability of STEM interest; effects on girls’ motivation were not found. Beliefs that interest and abilities in STEM are malleable may be helpful but not sufficient to foster girls’ own motivation in STEM.