Cultural Stereotypes and Sense of Belonging Contribute to Gender Gaps in STEM.

There is a need to help more students succeed in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, with a particular interest in reducing current gender gaps in STEM motivation and participation. This integrative review synthesizes a body of work suggesting that social factors, such as stereotypes and self-representations about “belonging,” provide explanatory mechanisms for the observed gender differences in STEM interest and...