Education
Gender differences in Math Tests: The role of Time pressure
Vincenzo Galasso and Paola Profeta
Forthcoming in The Economic Journal
We investigate the role of time pressure in math tests in originating gender gaps. These math tests are often used to select candidates for entry into STEM fields, where women are underrepresented.
In a randomized experiment, college students take a math test under 3 possible conditions: high time pressure. low time pressure, no time pressure. We show that reducing or eliminating time pressure decreases the math gender gap by up to 40%, with no cost in terms of a less efficient selection of candidates.
We investigate two possible mechanisms: test-taking strategy and anxiety. Our results suggest that larger math gender gaps under time pressure are mostly due to anxiety.