Keystone
Parents in Switzerland systematically charge their daughters’ talents in the fields of arithmetic, IT, pure sciences and know-how decrease than these of their sons. Men additionally charge themselves as considerably extra competent in these areas than ladies.
This is proven by the research revealed on Thursday by ETH Zurich on the so-called MINT topics. MINT stands for arithmetic, data know-how, pure sciences and know-how. The “STEM Mood Barometer 2025” relies on a consultant inhabitants survey of round 1600 Swiss residents.
The males surveyed rated their very own STEM expertise at a median of 5.6 factors on a scale of 0 to 10, whereas ladies solely scored 4.1 factors.
The sample can also be clear in the evaluation of kids amongst dad and mom or authorized guardians from the survey: most clearly, in accordance with the report, in the world of know-how, the place sons have been rated on common with 5.7 factors, however daughters with solely 4.4. But the talents of male youngsters have been additionally rated larger than these of feminine youngsters in arithmetic (6.0 for sons and 5.3 for daughters), pc science (5.7 in comparison with 5.0) and pure sciences (5.5 in comparison with 5.2).
“Such patterns of perception indicate persistent stereotypes that persist across generations,” the report states.
Limited particular person attraction
Overall, STEM professions get pleasure from a excessive social standing, in accordance with the report. However, they’re additionally related to excessive calls for, male-dominated buildings and unattractive, stereotypical photographs of on a regular basis life in STEM professions. These embrace, for instance, hardly any teamwork or a male bias. This picture results in a paradox: excessive social esteem mixed with restricted particular person attractiveness.
According to the authors, assist should be supplied at an early stage in order to safe expert employees in the long run. “Setting the course early – for example through playful learning, practical and stereotype-free teaching – strengthens skills in the long term and lays the foundation for later educational and career decisions,” the report states. Teachers in any respect ranges, in addition to dad and mom and guardians, play a key position in selling STEM.