Empowering the STEM super girls: Increasing female retention in STEM fields through a comic book intervention
Year: 2020
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)-related careers are a vulnerable population due to the stigma and sexism they often face. Hispanic/Latina women are also underrepresented in STEM and experience the “double jeopardy” of sexism and racism. Thus, women, and especially women of color, will often abandon their academic and career path in STEM fields, further exacerbating what is often termed the “leaky pipeline” phenomenon. This research study seeks to create and evaluate a comic book-style intervention intended to promote the retention of women in STEM fields. Measured variables include growth (and fixed) mindset orientation, self-efficacy related to STEM-based activities, group identification with STEM-based fields, and persistence in intellectual tasks following exposure to a comic book depicting a female scientist-vigilante with either a White, non-Hispanic or a Hispanic/Latina racial/ethnic identity. Results suggested that the race/ethnicity of female role models in STEM is an influential factor to consider when developing interventions. Moreover, racial/ethnic differences among participants, who were all women in STEM, seemed to influence the extent to which these materials increased math and science self-efficacy and group identification with STEM-based fields. Recommendations for future research of similar intervention materials are discussed.
Author: Phoenix R. Crane
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W3211168582