Trends in gender segregation in the choice of science and engineering majors

Numerous theories have been put forward for the high and continuing levels of gender segregation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, but research has not systematically examined the extent to which these theories for the gender gap are consistent with actual trends. Using both administrative data and four separate longitudinal studies sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), we evaluate several prominent explanations for the persisting gender gap in STEM fields related to mathematics performance and background and general life goals, and find that none of them are empirically satisfactory. Instead, we suggest that the structure of majors and their linkages to professional training and careers may combine with gender differences in educational goals to influence the persisting gender gap in STEM fields. An analysis of gendered career aspirations, course-taking patterns, and pathways to medical and law school supports this explanation.     

The missing women in STEM? Assessing gender differentials in the factors associated with transition to first jobs

Women remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce. We assess explanations for women's underrepresentation in STEM jobs, focusing on a cohort that came of age in the 1980s and 1990s, when women dramatically increased their representation in the scientific labor force. Data are from the NLSY79, and our analysis focuses on members of this cohort who received a college degree, with an emphasis on those who completed a degree in a STEM field. Our analyses test the extent to which college major, expectations to work in STEM, and family expectations shaped transitions into STEM occupations within two years of degree completion. Among those majoring in STEM fields there were no gender differences in transitioning into STEM jobs, though there were sizable differences in transitions to STEM employment by field of study. Of note are gender differences in associations between family expectations and transitions into STEM employment. The most career oriented women, who expected to marry late and limit fertility, were no more likely to enter STEM jobs than were women who anticipated marrying young and having two or more children. The men most likely to enter STEM occupations, in contrast, adhered to significantly more conventional gender ideologies than their female counterparts, expecting to marry at younger ages but also to remain childless. Results of our regression decomposition indicated that marriage and family expectations and gender ideology worked in opposite directions for men and women. Nonetheless, the majority of the gender disparity in transitions into STEM jobs was related to women's underrepresentation in engineering and computer science fields of study.     

中国境外非政府组织管理困境中的“锁定效应”分析

锁定效应(Lock-in effective)通常被用来描述制度变迁中某些制度长期维持低效率均衡的路径依赖。境外民间组织拥有强大的资源能力,他们通过长期"体制外运行",与相关部门达成了基于共同利益的合作策略和制度安排,某些甚至形成了社会领域的既得利益集团。这些组织从非正式制度中获得的优势阻碍了现存制度的变革,使境外非政府组织管理制度变迁交易成本越来越大,最终被持久锁定在满足境外非政府组织利益诉求的低效均衡水平下。而要解除锁定效应,规范管理,需要政府从正式制度和非正式制度两方面进行强化管理。     

Feeding the pipeline: Gender,occupational plans,and college major selection

In this article, we analyze gender differences in college major selection for respondents to the Education Longitudinal Study (2002–2006), focusing on educational pathways through college that lead to science, engineering, or doctoral-track medicine occupations and to non-doctoral track clinical and health sciences occupations. We show that gender differences in college major selection remain substantial, even for a cohort in which rates of enrollment in postsecondary education are more than ten percent higher for young women than for young men. Consistent with other recent research, we demonstrate that neither gender differences in work–family goals nor in academic preparation explain a substantial portion of these differences. However, the occupational plans of high school seniors are strong predictors of initial college major selection, a finding that is revealed only when occupational plans are measured with sufficient detail, here by using the verbatim responses of students. We also find that the association between occupational plans and college major selection is not attributable to work–family orientation or academic preparation. Finally, we find gender differences in the associations between occupational plans and college major selection that are consistent with prior research on STEM attrition, as well as with the claim that attrition also affects the selection of majors that are gateways into doctoral-track medicine. We discuss the implications of the predictive power of occupational plans formed in adolescence for understanding sex segregation and for policies intended to create a gender-balanced STEM and doctoral-level medical workforce.     

“三语背景”下云南跨境民族学生国家认同与民族认同研究

本文使用Phinney(1992)多群体民族认同量表和ValkKuar(2001)民族认同量表,以3905名云南跨境民族学生为对象,调查研究了跨境民族学生的国家认同和民族认同问题。研究得出结论:(1)云南跨境民族学生的国家认同和民族认同总体上都处于"比较认同"的水平;(2)云南跨境民族学生国家认同和民族认同都存在性别、地州、学历差异。     

Social costs to trying hard in high school: Differences by race-ethnicity

There is debate whether social costs to trying hard in school are more widespread among black and Latino students than white or Asian students. Studies assessing a burden of “acting white” among black and Latino students have examined how the correlation between GPA and popularity or harassment varies across racial-ethnic groups. Yet, there has been little attention to whether students are aware of these costs or if social costs deter achievement. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009, we investigated students’ perceptions of whether they would be harassed or unpopular for trying hard in their mathematics and science classes. We found black, Latino, and Asian students perceived lower risk of experiencing social costs for trying hard than white students. Perceptions of social costs in 9th grade were associated with less rigorous mathematics course-taking, but not lower mathematics test scores or STEM GPA, later in school.     

Staying in STEM or changing course: Do natives and immigrants pursue the path of least resistance?

This paper examines why Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields are becoming “immigrant” fields of study as native students shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business. Using data from the 2010 National Survey of College Graduates, the analyses find that foreign college-educated immigrants with STEM degrees tend to remain in STEM fields, while natives are more likely to shift from STEM fields to law, medicine and business in graduate school. Among those who moved into law, medicine and business, the gains in earnings are larger for natives than for foreign educated immigrants. These results have important implications for the social mobility of highly educated natives and immigrants.     

马克思主义与创新经济学

科技创新和制度创新是整个创新过程不可分割的两个方面,科技创新和制度创新的动态互动推动了经济的发展。西方经济学界自熊彼特之后对创新经济的研究分野为科技创新和制度创新两个支脉,各有侧重又各有不足,两个支脉逐渐融汇于演化经济学思潮。马克思主义经济学是创新经济学的主要渊源之一,马克思主义经济学强调科学技术在经济发展中的重要作用,以及科学技术在经济发展中的内生驱动作用,它重视创新主体,企业的重要作用,融合了科技创新和制度创新,马克思主义的生产力和生产关系矛盾运动具体体现在科技创新和制度创新的矛盾运动推动经济发展的过程中。马克思主义作为创新经济学的重要渊源,对中国的经济发展和创新型国家建设具有重大的启示和指导作用。     

The effectiveness of apprenticeship training: A within-track comparison of workplace-based and school-based vocational training in Hungary

Although apprenticeship training has been praised for its effectiveness in easing the transition of non-college-bound students from school to work, most studies rely on cross-country or cross-track comparisons. This study compares apprenticeship training students with non-apprentices within educational track in a relatively uncoordinated and decentralized institutional setting. Using a rich database and a unique set of observable individual-level characteristics as well as local labor market fixed effects to control for the potential selection bias, the results show that there are no significant differences in employment opportunities between apprentices and non-apprentices within just a year after graduation. This might be due to the failure of the Hungarian firms to enhance the skills of apprentices and thus increase their chances of entering the labor market compared to their school-trained peers. However, some immediate positive effect of apprenticeship training within sub-populations is apparent, which are likely to be the result of screening.     

经济危机形势下大学生职业决策困难及对策

在当前经济危机形势下,考查大学生的自我同一性危机、应对方式和职业决策困难现状以及它们之间的关系,结果发现:文科生较理科生更多地体验到同一性危机,更多地感受到职业决策困难,更多地采用自责、退避、合理化等的应对方式;乡村生源地的学生较城市学生遇到更多的职业探索困难;自我同一性危机对职业决策困难有非常显著的正向预测作用;问题解决的应对方式对职业决策困难有显著的负向预测作用,自责、幻想、退避、合理化对职业决策困难有显著的正向预测作用;同一性危机在应对方式和职业决定困难间起完全中介作用.     

Military service and STEM employment: Do veterans have an advantage?

We use five years of American Community Survey data to examine how military service provides a non-degree-based pathway into STEM occupations. Military service is associated with STEM occupations in positive and surprising ways. Veterans are more likely than their civilian counterparts to work in STEM, an effect particularly strong for women and among workers without a STEM bachelor's degree. Among workers lacking STEM BAs, veterans were more likely to hold STEM occupations. Indeed, veterans lacking a college degree at all are more likely than their nonveteran counterparts to hold STEM employment. We conclude that military service in itself provides a rarely-discussed route to diversifying STEM and consider the policy implications.     

要注重社会科学研究成果的转化

本文认为 ,当前社科研究成果转化率低 ,原因主要在于社科研究脱离了社会生活的实际。为此 ,要加强科研管理 ,促进社科研究成果转化为生产力。一是要理顺社科研究机制 ,促进“产学研”结合 ;二是要改革现有社科研究成果的评价模式 ;三是要加强和改进社科研究成果的鉴定、验收工作 ,使社科研究成果的转化真正落到实处     

医学生的英语自主学习策略

以某医学院2006级本科临床医学专业198名学生为研究对象,随机选取94人分成两个实验班,实施大学英语自主学习策略的培训。结果表明：实验班学生与对照班学生入学时的英语成绩并无明显差异,经过一年的自主学习策略培训之后,实验班学生较好地掌握并运用了自主学习策略,其大学英语成绩呈现出显著的优势。     

社会工作岗位评价制度建设探讨——以河北省为例

根据对河北省的调查发现,在社会工作岗位评价中,表现出职业认证有序推进、岗位评价期待较高、行业发展开始规范等状况,但是,面临着职业资格认同不一、评价体系尚未完善、行业自律未成规模等问题。只有加强社会工作岗位评价制度性引领,提高职业认同、科学划分职级、促进行业自律,才能解决上述问题,推进社会工作健康发展。     

Should immigrants culturally assimilate or preserve their own culture? Host-society natives' beliefs and the longevity of national identity

We develop and empirically test a theory concerning host-society natives' beliefs about whether immigrants should culturally assimilate into the host society or preserve their own cultural norms. We argue that when national identity is a source of intrinsic utility, the longevity of national identity influences a national identity's perceived resilience to an ostensible immigrant threat and, thus, affects natives' beliefs about the need for immigrants' cultural assimilation. Empirical evidence based on data from countries of wider Europe supports our theory. An expert survey-based measure of the longevity of national identity, first, exhibits a robustly negative effect on the strength of natives' preferences in favor of immigrants' cultural assimilation and, second, is an important contextual moderating variable that shapes the effect of individual-level characteristics on their beliefs. Thus, host-society natives' beliefs about the necessity of immigrants' cultural assimilation versus accommodation of cultural diversity reflect a historically-rooted sense of national identity.     

Exposure to science,perspectives on science and religion,and religious commitment in young adulthood

Social scientists know very little about the consequences of exposure to scientific knowledge and holding different perspectives on science and religion for individuals' religious lives. Drawing on secularization and post-secular theories, we develop and test several hypotheses about the relationships among exposure to scientific knowledge, perspectives on religion and science, and religious commitment using panel data from the National Study of Youth and Religion. Our findings indicate that religious faith is strongest among young adults who: (1) accommodate scientific knowledge into their religious perspective, or (2) reject scientific knowledge that directly contradicts their religious beliefs about the origins of the world. Young adults are also more likely to have lower religious commitment when they view science and religion as independent institutions, lending support to secularization ideas about how social differentiation secularizes individuals. We further find that mere exposure to scientific knowledge, in terms of majoring in biology or acknowledging conflict between the teachings of religion and science, is usually not sufficient to undermine religious commitment.     

社会主义多民族国家制度性国家认同的实现机制

个体身份认同的基础是利益需求的满足.在我国,要实现中华民族多元一体的国家认同,除进行国族重构和文化融合之外,还需寻找到一个能超越族群差异的制度认同基础,从制度维度对国族认同与文化认同进行补充,三维立体式地构建中华多元一体的国家认同大厦.我国建党在先、以党建国、党政同构和党国同构的鲜明特点,决定了实现制度性国家认同必须以执政党认同为基础.在少数民族地区,公民是以原生性特征为基础还是以执政党及其制度为基础来进行认同,取决于二者谁更能深入持久地积极影响和改变少数族群的生活.在执政党认同、制度认同、国家认同之间存在正相关关系,三者可以相互促进、转化,也可相互削弱.     

以历史记忆固基大学生国家认同的实践路径探析 ——以淮海战役为例

历史记忆是共同体认定的"历史",是共同体成员对往事的共享。历史记忆是生成国家认同的重要前提。符号记忆、情节记忆、价值记忆与自然认同、强化认同、理解认同之间的对应关系,为历史记忆生成国家认同提供了内在逻辑。淮海战役是中华民族共同体重要的历史记忆,是建构国家认同的重要历史资源。以淮海战役历史记忆固基大学生国家认同遵循以下实践路径：强化思政课承载历史记忆的价值功能、通过仪式操演深化历史记忆的情感体验、发挥媒体优势营造历史记忆的社会氛围。     

中东经济现代化进程与民族主义

民族主义是包括中东在内的后发国家的现代化的初始动力和思想根基。中东民族主义与中东各国的经济现代化有很大的同步性,它不仅是民族团结和独立自主的重要精神力量,而且还是影响各国经济现代化发展方向和发展模式的重要政治力量。在全球化时代,民族主义受到异质文化等诸多因素的冲击,出现认同危机,民族国家在经济中的作用有所削弱。虽然民族国家并未彻底丧失其经济功能,但只有在维护传统文化和独立自主的基础上树立新的认同,建立开放的具有现代性的经济体系,积极发展地区间与国际间的合作,才有可能推动民族经济的进一步发展。     

土壤肥料学教学中应用和实践能力培养

土壤肥料学课程是高校中植物生产类专业必修的专业基础课,具有较强的实用性。在土壤肥料教学中,通过合理设置教学及实验内容、选择恰当有效的教学形式、先进性的测定手段、鼓励学生参加相关的课题研究与生产实践活动及改革考试考查方法等方面,培养学生应用和实践能力。