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AbstractThe goal congruity framework posits that there are consensual beliefs that science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields are not perceived to afford valued goals such as working with or helping others relative to fields such as law and medicine. In three studies, we examine whether experiences engaging with others in the context of STEM would lead to beliefs that STEM fulfills communal goals, and in turn to heightened interest in those fields. In Study 1, we provide evidence that direct experiences such as collaboration, mentorship, and volunteering in the context of STEM predicted greater beliefs that STEM fields allowed communal opportunities, even when controlling for other facets of experience. In Study 2, we replicate and extend these findings with an experimental design, and found that both short‐term and long‐term communal experience contributed to greater communal affordances and to more positive STEM attitudes. Study 3 demonstrated the effects of communal experience in a naturalistic setting, among a group of high school students. The belief that STEM fields afford communal opportunities robustly predicts positivity toward STEM, and understanding the sources of these beliefs is thus an important question that can inform educational and organizational policy.

Two studies extended the communal goal congruity perspective to examine perceived incongruity between science careers and family caregiving goals. Study 1 examined beliefs about science careers among young adolescents, older adolescents, and young adults. Science careers were perceived as unlikely to afford family goals, and this belief emerged more strongly with age cohort. Study 1 also documented that the perception that science affords family goals predicts interest in pursuing science. Study 2 then employed an experimental methodology to investigate the impact of framing a science career as integrated with family life or not. For family-oriented women, the family-friendly framing of science produced greater personal favorability toward pursuing a science career. In addition, perceived fulfilment of the scientist described predicted personal favorability toward a science career path. We discuss the implications of these findings for research and for policy.

AbstractNumerous theories seek to explain gender gaps in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), and the literature on social and motivational factors implicated in women's STEM pursuits is burgeoning. We contend that a next‐generation strategy is needed to translate multiple and complex theories to practice: We focus on the overlap of multiple social psychological theories to propose common‐ground strategies to foster women's interest and participation in STEM. Building upon the foundational work of lone‐theory approaches is a next‐generation intervention approach that identifies where different theories have common ground—that is, where a particular intervention strategy might capitalize on multiple psychological mechanisms to yield benefit. We focus in particular on theories relevant to two incongruities that contribute to the gender gap in STEM: the incongruity between women and STEM (discussed in theories about stereotyping/discrimination, social identity, and stereotype threat), and the incongruity between STEM and student values (discussed in theories about expectancy‐value, goal congruity, and work‐family conflict). Three core strategies encompass multiple mechanisms described from these scientific frameworks, and these form the basis for intervention tactics: (1) Challenge stereotypes; (2) Align STEM activities with students' values; (3) Cultivate growth mindsets related to STEM ability. We outline opportunities for structural change within educational and occupational settings that can enhance and sustain interest.

Despite advances within a wide range of professional roles, women remain a minority in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees and occupations. The gender gap in mathematics and science performance has converged, and so it is important to consider the motivational reasons that might underlie the differential STEM pursuits of women and men. The goal congruity perspective contends that a fundamental cause of gender gaps in STEM pursuits is the gender difference in communal motivation (i.e., an orientation toward others). STEM fields may be particularly likely to deter communally oriented individuals because these fields are thought to impede goals of directly benefitting others, altruism, or collaboration. In this review, we examine how the communal goal perspective might address the challenges of gender gaps in STEM pursuits from childhood through adulthood. We review the logic and evidence for the goal congruity perspective, and we examine two other deterrents to women in STEM—work‐family challenges and stereotyping—from the perspective of this framework. We then examine particular recommendations for policy actions that might broaden participation of women and girls, and communally oriented people generally, in STEM.

We provide a novel approach to understanding the political ambition gap between men and women by examining perceptions of the role of politician. Across three studies, we find that political careers are viewed as fulfilling power‐related goals, such as self‐promotion and competition. We connect these goals to a tolerance for interpersonal conflict and both of these factors to political ambition. Women's lack of interest in conflict and power‐related activities mediates the relationship between gender and political ambition. In an experiment, we show that framing a political career as fulfilling communal goals—and not power‐related goals—reduces the ambition gap.