Boys don't benefit, girls still suffer：The role of gender stereotypes of math and physics in academic self-efficacy among Chinese adolescents

Abstract Under the background of the prevailing "gender equality" education, an increasing number of voices are noting the importance of gender equality and androgyny, and the impact gender stereotypes will have on students is unclear to most teachers. Therefore, this study used social cognitive theory, social identity theory, and the STEMO model to explore the effects of gender stereotypes in math and physics on academic self-efficacy among middle school students, as well as the moderating role of gender. 629 Chinese adolescents (Mage = 14.38; SDage = 0.67) were recruited from a local middle school. 48.24% of the sample are girls (n=203). Results: (1) Girls hold significantly fewer gender stereotypes and academic self-efficacy of physics and math than boys. (2) Gender stereotype of math and physics was negatively correlated with math and physics academic self-efficacy, respectively. (3) Gender played a moderation role in the relationship between gender stereotypes and academic self-efficacy in math and physics. For girls, gender stereotypes of math and physics negatively predict academic self-efficacy of math and physics. For boys, gender stereotypes had no significant effect on academic self-efficacy, no matter for math or physics.