Zusammenhang zwischen Gender, empathisierender sowie systematisierender Denkweise und dem Fachinteresse sowie der Kurswahl in der Sekundarstufe II von Lernenden im Fach Physik

Interest is considered a central variable in learning and influences the choice of upper secondary school courses. Studies showing that boys generally have a stronger subject interest in physics than girls, leading to more frequent enrollment in physics courses. This gender disparity is often explained by socialization-related factors, prompting the development of gender-sensitive measures to support learners. However, the effectiveness of these measures is limited, raising questions about their adequacy in addressing the heterogeneity of interests.

Alongside gender, personality characteristics like tendencies towards empathizing and systemizing thinking, based on the Empathizing-Systemizing Theory, also play a role. A study on secondary school learners investigated these thinking tendencies in relation to interest in physics and course choice. The results showed that the tendency towards systemizing thinking strongly influences interest in physics, which in turn affects course selection. Gender, in comparison, has a minor influence. The variance in subject interest in physics explained by the tendency towards systemizing thinking combined with gender (R² = 0,30) is higher than that explained by gender alone (R² = 0,07).

Therefore, including the tendencies towards empathizing and systemizing thinking in analyzes could lead to more nuanced understanding of subject interest and course choice. This approach might offer new insights for developing individual support measures and designing diversity-sensitive physics lessons.