Gender differences in science: parallels in interest, experience and performance

Abstract

There are some interesting and significant differences in the interests, experiences and performances of girls and boys in science as well as a few similarities worth noting. The general pattern of similarity and difference has been shown to obtain on an international scale, and has been extensively discussed in the literature in recent years. In particular, the focus has been on girls’ relative performance underachievement in physics (and mathematics), and many hypotheses have been suggested to explain this phenomenon. In its simplest terms the argument surrounds the familiar nature/nurture issue. The ‘process'‐oriented APU Science surveys in the UK have served to confirm previous findings about pupils’ interests and abilities, but have also embellished these with more detail and with a broader base. This paper presents and discusses salient findings, and offers comment on the evidence of interconnections which could reflect cause‐effect relationships.