Models and references that influence gender stereotypes in STEM: A case study in Spain

• Verdugo-Castro, Sonia ^[1] ; García-Holgado, Alicia ^[1] ; Sánchez-Gómez, Mª Cruz ^[1] ; García-Peñalvo, Francisco José ^[1]
  1. [1] Universidad de Salamanca

     Universidad de Salamanca

     Salamanca, España

     
• Localización: Revista de investigación educativa, RIE, ISSN-e 1989-9106, Nº. 43, 2025
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.6018/rie.597191
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Modelos y referentesque influyen en los estereotipos de género en STEM: un estudio de caso en España
• Enlaces
  • Texto completo
• Resumen
  • español

    El sector de la ciencia, la tecnología, la ingeniería y las matemáticas (STEM) es un campo académico y profesional con altas cifras de disparidad de género a pesar de ser un campo con una baja tasa de desempleo. El "Cuestionario a Universitarios sobre Estudios STEM en Educación Superior" (QSTEMHE) fue diseñado para conocer la opinión de la población universitaria española en todas las ramas de conocimiento sobre los estereotipos de género en los estudios STEM. Este instrumento validado se aplicó a una muestra universitaria de 2101 personas de diferentes universidades españolas. Se utilizó una metodología cuantitativa y el método no experimental ex-post-facto, empleando una técnica de muestreo aleatorio simple. Este estudio pretende analizar la relación que se establece entre los modelos y referentes que han tenido los estudiantes universitarios y su manifestación de estereotipos de género sobre la capacidad de rendimiento en los estudios superiores STEM. Entre los principales resultados, persisten los estereotipos de género sobre las titulaciones STEM, considerándolas masculinizadas y orientadas a los hombres. Además, el estudio confirma que los modelos y referentes tenidos en cuenta a la hora de elegir estudios superiores influyen en la percepción de hombres y mujeres sobre los estereotipos en STEM.

  • English

    The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) sector is an academic and professional field with high gender disparity figures despite being a field with a low unemployment rate. The “Questionnaire with University Students on STEM Studies in Higher Education” (QSTEMHE) was designed to determine the opinion of the Spanish university population on all branches of knowledge about gender stereotypes in STEM studies. This validated instrument was applied to a university sample of 2101 people from different Spanish universities. A quantitative methodology and the non-experimental ex-post-facto method were used, employing a simple random sampling technique. This study aims to analyse the relationship established between the models and references that university students have had and their manifestation of gender stereotypes on the ability to perform in STEM higher education studies. Among the main results, gender stereotypes about STEM degrees persist, considering them masculinised and male-oriented. Furthermore, the study confirms that models and references taken into account when choosing higher education studies impact the perception of men and women regarding stereotypes in STEM.

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