Impact Of Gender Stereotypes On Physics Learning Motivation And Intervention Measures

The underrepresentation of women in STEM(science,technology,engineering,and mathematics)fields has been a longstanding concern.Gender stereotypes in physics create a biased learning environment that harms the motivation and beliefs of some students,hindering educational equity.Previous research has mostly focused on the impact of stereotypes on vulnerable groups above high school,while the effects on dominant groups and younger students require further investigation.This study included both male and female students in middle and high school,and designed a stereotype activation control experiment based on the research paradigm of psychology,using the physics learning motivation scale as an instrument.Through cross-gender comparison,it was found that gender stereotypes reduced the motivation and beliefs of female students,but they tended to deny and avoid the impact in self-evaluation,reflecting contradictions.Although male students were dominant group,gender stereotypes did not significantly affect their motivation and beliefs,but rather brought implicit pressure.Through longitudinal comparison across different grades,it was found that the impact of gender stereotypes on female students decreased with grade level.This study also noted the abnormal performance of middle school girls,as stereotype activation not only did not have a negative impact on them,but actually increased their motivation and beliefs.Combining relevant theories,we found that these phenomena were related to selfprotection and excessive regulation stimulated by stereotypes threat.Through the analysis of subjective questions,it was found that compared with high school students,middle school students had a one-sided understanding of gender equality and were more likely to make irrational comments,reflecting the characteristics of sensitivity,immature thinking,and strong selfawareness in early adolescence.In order to alleviate the impact of stereotypes on students,we proposed the intervention of-empathy to improve students’ motivation and beliefs through theoretical research.The intervention included two parts: rebuilding a sense of belonging and showing stories that counter stereotypes.The effect of the intervention was tested using the DID(Difference in Difference)model.The results showed that the intervention had a significant effect on improving the physics learning motivation of all students,especially for female and minority students who suffer from stereotype threat.