Gender Stereotype towards Academic Achievements in Natural Science Fields of Study among University Students

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate gender stereotype and academic achievement in natural science fields among university students. The participants of the study were 404 under graduate students selected from Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa Universities. The sample of study was taken through stratified and simple random sampling techniques. To collect the data, questionnaires and archival data were used. The data was analyzed and interpreted by both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The results of the study indicated that there is a negative correlation between students’ academic achievement of CGPA score and gender stereotype beliefs (GSB), r = -.100, n = 404, p = .045, and with gender stereotype attitude (GSA), r = -.098, n = 404, p = .048. Whereas, there is a strong positive correlation between GSB & GSA scores, r = .524; r = n = 404, p = .000. There is no statistically significant difference between male and female students in both Grade- 12 EHEECE exam scores and CGPA scores (t= -.107, p= .915) and (t= .570, p= .569) respectively. There was a statistically significant difference across university CGPA scores for the four fields of study, F (3, 400) = 2.575, p = .054. The interaction effect between gender and fields of study on university CGPA score was statistically significant, F (3, 396) = 10.245, p = .000. The interaction effect between gender and fields of study on GSB score was statistically significant, F (3, 396) = 3.353, p = .019. There is also an interaction effect between gender and fields of study on GSA score was statistically significant, F (3, 396) = 5.473, p = .001. Educators and counselors can facilitate educational and counseling interventions to help university students to interact without gender stereotype to overcome academic challenges.