Exploring Gender Differences in Tertiary Mathematics-Intensive Fields: A Critical Review of Social Cognitive Career Theory

Abstract: Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT) has been extensively employed to elucidate the enduring gender differences in mathematics-intensive fields, with a particular emphasis on the complex interplay of motivational factors and extra-personal influences contributing to the underrepresentation of women. Although a plethora of empirical studies corroborate SCCT, three crucial aspects for refinement have come to the fore. First, the theory should place a more substantial emphasis on how cultural and contextual diversity influences academic choices. Second, given the dynamic nature of motivation, which evolves over time, more longitudinal analyses are imperative to capture their temporal trajectory, in contrast to the predominantly cross-sectional empirical studies. Finally, considering the intricate interplay between emotion and motivation, integrating the dimension of emotion into SCCT would significantly augment its explanatory power and provide a more comprehensive understanding of academic selection processes.