Gender Difference in Mathematics

Gender differences in mathematics performance is a topic of public concern. It involves the exploration of the mechanisms underlying gender differences in mathematics, the promotion of the co-development of boys and girls, and the equality of social opportunities. In general, these studies found that women were underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. However, academic assessments in schools repeatedly showed that the gender difference in mathematics is minor or even reversed, favoring girls. In this chapter, we will go into gender differences in mathematics in mainland China, including gender differences in mathematics achievement, arithmetic computation, mental rotation, and math anxiety.