Adamecz, Anna;
Jerrim, John;
Pingault, Jean-Baptiste;
Shure, Nikki;
(2025)
Peers, parents, and self-perceptions: the gender gap in mathematics self-assessment.
Journal of Population Economics
, 38
(1)
, Article 33. 10.1007/s00148-025-01087-2.
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Abstract
It is well established that boys perceive themselves to be better in mathematics than girls, even when their ability is the same. We examine the drivers of the gender gap in self-assessed mathematics ability using a longitudinal study of twins. Using measures of individual self-assessment in mathematics from childhood, along with mathematics levels and test scores, cognitive skills, parent and teacher mathematics assessments, and characteristics of their families and siblings, we examine potential channels of the gender gap. Our results confirm that objective mathematics abilities only explain a small share of the gender gap in self-assessed mathematics abilities, and the gap is even larger within boy-girl twin pairs. We find that the self-assessment of boys is positively correlated with the self-assessment of their male co-twins, not just in mathematics, but also in other abilities. However, this positive correlation is not observed between girls and their male co-twins; if anything, it is negative. This indicates that boys and girls have different reactions to highly confident male peers. We also find that parents are more likely to overestimate boys’ and underestimate girls’ mathematics abilities. Gender-biased parental assessments explain a large part of the gender gap in mathematics self-assessment, highlighting the potential of the intergenerational transmission of gender stereotypes.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Peers, parents, and self-perceptions: the gender gap in mathematics self-assessment |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s00148-025-01087-2 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1007/s00148-025-01087-2 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Gender gaps · Self-assessed mathematics ability · Twins · Peer effects |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Social Research Institute |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10205224 |
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