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Women Skip Math/Science Careers To Have Families

hessian notes a Cornell survey, published in the Psychological Bulletin, of 35 years of sociological studies that concludes that women tend to choose non-math-intensive fields for their careers not because they lack mathematical ability, but because they want flexibility to raise children or prefer less math-intensive fields of science. "'A major reason explaining why women are underrepresented not only in math-intensive fields but also in senior leadership positions in most fields is that many women choose to have children, and the timing of child rearing coincides with the most demanding periods of their career, such as trying to get tenure or working exorbitant hours to get promoted,' said lead author Stephen J. Ceci... The authors concluded that hormonal, brain, and other biological sex differences were not primary factors in explaining why women were underrepresented in science careers, and that studies on social and cultural effects were inconsistent and inconclusive. They also reported that although 'institutional barriers and discrimination exist, these influences still cannot explain why women are not entering or staying in STEM careers,' said Ceci."

4 of 616 comments (clear)

  1. Re:STEM careers are a lot of work... by Opportunist · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Because those countries may also not care too much about patents and copyrights? I'd say that's something to consider when outsourcing research. I for one would not really put it into, say, China...

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    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Re:STEM careers are a lot of work... by Opportunist · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    There is a reason why "personnel management" is now called "human resources"...

    Basically you're right. I see it every day. Currently I'm fighting for a larger inbox for an employer. It would make sense. He could speed up his work considerably. Instead of getting the documents on paper and scanning them, he could get them as mail attachments (yes, ftp and so on... forget that, impossible to do). Problem is, the inbox would weigh down on his cost center because I have to "charge" him for more inbox space. And the additional cost does not outweigh the benefit. Actually, though, the cost is completely virtual because the mail server has the space and it does not cost the company a dime.

    This isn't even short term thinking, this is actually boneheaded cost center centric thinking without an eye for the overall benefit. And that's what's gonna kill us eventually, economically.

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    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  3. Re:First step: Understand why women have babies. by bDerrly · · Score: 1, Offtopic

    Dear EsbenMoseHansen:

    Noticing a trend between what you have said and your signature I couldn't help but question, "how is Atheism not a religion?"

    I'm assuming you feel "humans were not designed" because there is zero irrefutable proof and, as such, requires "faith" to think that. However, the counter-argument is that, you have zero irrefutable proof to the contrary, that humans have evolved. In such a case then you must have "faith" that what you have read, studied, pondered, etc. is in fact truth.

    Consider the original question: How is Atheism not a religion? Most people define "religion" as a faith in the unseen. Apply that to your zero-proof theorem that humans are participating in the "great game of evolution" and you have faith in the unseen.

    As a side note, I completely agree that agnosticism is the absence of decisiveness.

    To the real topic at hand: it doesn't take much to realize that women have a built-in need to have children (not to mention the hardware required). Whether you want to attribute that to culture, religion, science, economics or whatever, the truth is, the need is there. Much the same way men have a need for sexual release. You can try to study things and act all "scientific" about it, but that is the way we, as humans, operate.

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    Animals have rights! ...TO BE EATEN!!!
  4. Re:Erm by Eighty7 · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    It's much easier to turn someone into a saint after he's dead.