Women's Choice in College STEM Majors: Impact of Ability Tilt on Women Students' Educational Choice

摘要

This quantitative study explored the impact of ability and ability tilt on the choice of an academic program in STEM majors for female college students who have not been identified as profoundly or highly gifted. A math tilt would be an ability tilt slanting toward math. The career development theory that provided a framework for this study was the Theory of Work Adjustment. Three bodies of literature were reviewed, (a) Self-efficacy as a variable in college major or career choice, (b) life-style preference, and (c) ability tilt and ability. A Chi Square Test of Independence determined that significantly more women who majored in inorganic science, math or engineering exhibited a math tilt than would be expected. By using a logistic regression, it was found that women who possessed a math tilt were more likely to choose an inorganic science, math or engineering major. There are limitations to this study, but results suggested that further study into the concept of an ability tilt driving the choice of a major for women college students should be further explored.