@article{discovery10137788, volume = {28}, note = {This version is the author accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.}, title = {Peer gender and STEM specialization}, pages = {1041--1045}, journal = {Applied Economics Letters}, publisher = {Informa UK Limited}, year = {2021}, number = {12}, author = {Morando, G}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/13504851.2020.1796909}, issn = {1466-4291}, keywords = {Female participation in STEM, peer effects, school curricular reform, degree choice}, abstract = {This paper shows that students are less likely to specialize in mathematics when exposed to a high share of male peers. I exploit a curricular reform that incentivized students to obtain a mathematics qualification post-16. I show that, for those students affected by the reform, the higher the share of same-gender classmates, the higher the likelihood of obtaining a mathematics qualification for boys, and the lower the likelihood for girls. I interpret this as suggestive evidence that one's perceived ability in mathematics, a boy-dominated subject, decreases when the share of male classmates increases. This further affects STEM participation in higher education.} }