Girls Confident in Science and Math

"Math is hard," a talking Barbie infamously whined.

And math is tough for many people, but a new study from the Girl Scout Research Institute finds encouraging news about girls' interest in (and confidence about) science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Contrary to the Barbie stereotype, many girls are interested in these subjects, perhaps inspired by women like Danica McKellar, an actress best known for her roles on "The Wonder Years" and "The West Wing."

But McKellar isn't just another pretty face; she's also a math whiz, having graduated summa cum laude in mathematics from the University of California at Los Angeles, and written several books including "Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle-School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail."

Actually, the widely-repeated Barbie quote above is incorrect; she really said "Math class is tough." And like the Barbie quote, the perception that girls don't feel smart enough to do math (or aren't interested in it) isn't quite true either: The study finds that 74 percent of teen girls are interested in STEM subjects.

As to why girls are drawn to STEM subjects, the study finds that girls take an active, inquisitive approach to engaging in science often thought of as boys' behavior. Eighty-five percent of these gender-stereotype-busting girls like to solve problems; 67 percent like to build things and put things together; 83 percent like to do hands-on science projects; and 80 percent ask questions (and seek answers) about how things work.

Confidence in Math and Science

One of the most encouraging findings from the study is that “a high 82 percent of girls see themselves as smart enough to have a career in STEM.” The report also found that girls are similarly confident and optimistic about their intelligence, abilities and future. For example, nearly all (97 percent) girls say they will graduate from college, and a high percentage (84 percent) expect to attend graduate school.

This is important because low confidence in a person's abilities can result in a self-defeating, self-fulfilling prophecy. Gender stereotypes are hard to break, and social pressures reflecting the stereotype that girls are not good at (or ill-suited for) math and science may unconsciously discourage girls.

For example, educators have observed that mothers encourage their sons more than their daughters to engage in hands-on activities in science museums.

Read more at Discovery News