En Nws Oct 20033

Socio-cultural factors contributing to adolescents’ gendered education and career
exploration in STEM
26.10.2020 ECONOMY AND SOCIETY EDUCATION AND LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
In Finnish education and labor market, occupational gender segregation is a

persistent phenomenon. Segregation levels are high and stable especially in the
fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), which are
strongly male-dominated. Finland is, however, in an ever-growing need for STEM-
skilled workers to sustain economic growth, correct the demographic dependency
ratio and finance the welfare state. Labor markets in many other states in Europe
and the United States of America have similar characteristics than those of
Finland. Research into gendered career choices has concluded that rather from
differences in innate aptitudes only, gendered choices in STEM originate from a
complex system of intellectual abilities, achievement motivations, the influence of
family, school and friends, as well as other socio-cultural factors.
The doctoral dissertation of MA Kirsi Ikonen addresses the contribution made by

socio-cultural factors to adolescents’ gendered education and career exploration in
the fields of STEM. The present study has been designed to help to develop
knowledge in this area by examining some of the ways in which social influences and
cultural perceptions of gender-appropriateness of occupations affect Finnish
adolescents’ education and career exploration. The study is composed of three sub-
studies, each of which aims to explore the main topic from a particular viewpoint
and also to complement each another. The expectancy-value theory of achievement-
related choices was chosen to act as the main theoretical framework of this present
dissertation, as it is one of the most successful theoretical contributions in the
research into gendered academic and vocational choices.
The first sub-study deals with understanding the role of socializers, such as
parents and teachers, in Finnish ninth-graders’ education and career exploration.
The second sub-study is an investigation of the kinds of gender-related perceptions
of occupations that Finnish ninth-graders have, according to themselves and
according to their school guidance counsellors. With regard to sub-study 3, its aim
was to investigate how parents consider the role of gender in the education- and
career-related discussions that they have had with their children, how much parents
know about STEM career opportunities, and how aware they may be of the individual
and societal consequences of occupational gender segregation.
These three sub-studies were conducted in 2014-2018 in the Eastern Finland region.
A mixed-methods research approach was employed, making use of both qualitative and
quantitative data-collection and data-analysis methods and multiple data sources. A
statistical analysis was made of the ninth-graders’ quantitative survey data and
the principles of qualitative content analysis research were used in the analysis
of the ninth-graders’ survey responses, guidance counsellors’ interview responses,
and parents’ survey responses.
Sub-study 1 revealed that parents play the most important role in adolescents’
education and career exploration and are also potentially the main mediators of
gender stereotypes concerning occupations. School guidance counselling plays second
fiddle to parents with regard to¬ the amount of education- and career-related
discussion that adolescents have with these two groups of socializers. Education-
and career-related discussions between subject teachers and ninth-graders seemed to
be minimal; only a couple of ninth-graders reported heeding their teachers’ advice
to any significant extent when making such decisions, and most of the guidance
counsellors interviewed supported this claim.
Sub-study 2 documented the fact that ninth-graders mostly referred to masculine

physical dimensions when justifying certain occupations as more suitable for men
than for women. Respectively, they generally referred to gender-typical interests
when justifying certain occupations as more suitable for women than for men. One
positive signal in this study was that no stereotypes regarding male superiority in
maths, science and technology occurred in ninth-graders’ views. Boys presented more
gender-stereotypical perceptions of occupations than did girls, and boys also
considered that their own gender affected their occupational preferences more
strongly than did girls. According to guidance counsellors, ninth-graders’
perceptions of occupations are still frequently highly gender-stereotypical in
their impact on education and career choices.
In sub-study 3, a majority of the parents participating in the study did not

consider their adolescent children’s gender to have an influence on the discussions
of future education and careers that they had together. A majority of the mothers
reported having discussions with their children about the influence of gender on
educational and career choices. In contrast, a majority of the fathers had not
brought up the gender aspect in their discussions with their children. Half of both
the mothers and the fathers had discussed educational pathways and career
opportunities in the fields of science, mathematics and technology with their
children, even though the mothers felt that their personal knowledge of such
careers was less than that of the fathers. Mothers were able to mention several of
the consequences of occupational gender segregation on an individual and a societal
level. They mentioned, for example, the gender pay gap and the problems involved
in national competitiveness and in unleashing the full innovative potential of the
country. The present study also reveals that some of the fathers were practically
dismissive in their attitudes to occupational gender segregation and its
consequences.
Thus, this study is intended to contribute to existing research into the underlying
socio-cultural influences on adolescents’ gendered education and career exploration
and choices, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering and
mathematics. The results of the study may prove to be of use in the development of
interventions related to career education that encourage adolescents to examine and
challenge traditional gender roles and occupational gender stereotypes. In doing
so, they may become more aware of the wide range of opportunities that careers in
STEM have to offer. In addition, the present results may be helpful in the
development of interventions that promote parents’ readiness to talk with their
children about jobs in STEM, thus promoting conscious educational and career
choices.
The doctoral dissertation of MA Kirsi Ikonen, entitled Socio-cultural factors

contributing to adolescents’ gendered education and career exploration in STEM will
be examined at the Faculty of Science and Forestry. The opponent in the public
examination will be Professor Jari Lavonen (University of Helsinki and the custos
will be Docent Mervi Asikainen (University of Eastern Finland).
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Socio-cultural factors contributing to adolescents’ gendered education and career

In Finnish education and labor market, occupational gender segregation is a

The doctoral dissertation of MA Kirsi Ikonen addresses the contribution made by

Sub-study 2 documented the fact that ninth-graders mostly referred to masculine

In sub-study 3, a majority of the parents participating in the study did not

The doctoral dissertation of MA Kirsi Ikonen, entitled Socio-cultural factors

Photo available for download

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