• Open Access

Mediating role of personality in the relation of gender to self-efficacy in physics and mathematics

Rachel Henderson, Dona Hewagallage, Jake Follmer, Lynnette Michaluk, Jessica Deshler, Edgar Fuller, and John Stewart
Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 18, 010143 – Published 3 June 2022

Abstract

Self-efficacy has emerged as one of the most important noncognitive variables explaining academic behavior. It has been shown to influence students’ academic and career decisions as well as their academic performance. Multiple studies have reported differences in self-efficacy between men and women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes. A student’s personality, characterized by the five-factor model, is also related to academic performance; some personality facets are substantially different for men and women. This work examines the relations among the five-factor model of personality (agreeableness, conscientiousness, extraversion, neuroticism, and openness), self-efficacy toward physics and mathematics, and course outcomes in university physics and mathematics classes. Women reported significantly higher neuroticism in all classes, a medium to large effect size, and significantly higher conscientiousness in Calculus 1 and Physics 1, small effects. Men reported higher self-efficacy in two-semester Calculus 1, one-semester Calculus 1, Physics 1, and Physics 2, small effects. Conscientiousness and neuroticism had competing mediational effects on the relation of gender to self-efficacy. The path through neuroticism accounted for 25%–47% of the total effect of gender on self-efficacy (increasing self-efficacy for men) and the path through conscientiousness accounted for 12%–23% of the total effect (increasing self-efficacy for women). Self-efficacy mediated the relation of conscientiousness to course grade in all classes, accounting for 30%–45% of the total effect.

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  • Received 5 February 2022
  • Accepted 6 May 2022

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010143

Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, and DOI.

Published by the American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Physics Education Research

Authors & Affiliations

Rachel Henderson1,2, Dona Hewagallage3, Jake Follmer4, Lynnette Michaluk5, Jessica Deshler6, Edgar Fuller7, and John Stewart3,*

  • 1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
  • 2CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA
  • 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA
  • 4Department of Counseling and Learning Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA
  • 5West Virginia University Center for Excellence in STEM Education, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA
  • 6Department of Mathematics, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia 26506, USA
  • 7Department of Mathematics, Florida International University, Miami, Florida 33199, USA

  • *jcstewart1@mail.wvu.edu

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Vol. 18, Iss. 1 — January - June 2022

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