Girls are better at math than boys! Admittedly, the statement only applies to some countries. Finland for example, Qatar or China. Despite this, many people believe that the male gender possesses superior arithmetic skills. In China, more than 40 percent of the population share this idea. How exactly does this misconception spread? Two scientists from Columbia University in New York and the University of Science and Technology in Beijing have investigated the question. As they report in »Nature«, stereotypes are passed from parents to children – and from these to other children.
Alex Eble and Feng Hu analyzed data from over 8,000 schoolchildren from China and their parents. They calculated a factor for each child that reflected how many parents per class believed boys were naturally better at math. The result: the higher the factor, the more likely a child was to believe in mathematical superiority over men . The educational researchers concluded that not only their own parents, but also the parents of their classmates pass on such views to the younger generation. But it does not stop at mere conviction. If many parents were mistaken, girls actually did worse in arithmetic. In an earlier study, Eble and Hu demonstrated how this could be counteracted: If girls with learning difficulties in maths are taught by a teacher in this subject, it is easier for them to do arithmetic.