A study conducted by researchers at Washington State University has shown that men think they are much better at maths than they really are. The study showed that there was little difference in the test scores of men and women, but men were more likely to overestimate how well they did. The study results also showed that because male participants believed they were good at maths, they were more likely to pursue maths-related courses and careers. Lead researcher, Shane Bench, says that women tend to accurately estimate their maths ability, whereas men tend to overestimate their ability, leading to lower numbers of women working in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) fields. Bench says that positive maths experiences could help to protect women’s self-esteem and encourage them to pursue STEM careers.
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