- In academic disciplines where field-specific ability beliefs are more prevalent, we see a lower percentage of women holding PHDs.
- Field-specific ability beliefs are also associated with underrepresentation of African-Americans.
- This results apply to fields in both STEM and the humanities.



Role of Field-Specific Ability Beliefs in Minority Underrepresentation

The extent to which those in different fields of study value some measure of innate aptitude or fixed intelligence and believe it is required for success in their respective fields.


New York University

The belief that one's intelligence is an innate quality of the individual that cannot be easily changed or augmented.

Fixed Intelligence Mindset

Leslie, S. J., Cimpian, A., Meyer, M., & Freeland, E. (2015). Expectations of brilliance underlie gender distributions across academic disciplines. Science, 347(6219), 262-265.


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