What do you want to be when you grow up? Self-objectification, math competence, and scientific high-school choice among adolescents
This research demonstrates that among Italian adolescents, higher levels of self-objectification are indirectly linked to reduced interest in pursuing scientific high-school tracks by negatively impacting observed math performance and math self-efficacy, regardless of gender.
Original paper licensed under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This is an AI-generated explanation of the paper below. It is not written or endorsed by the authors. For technical accuracy, refer to the original paper. Read full disclaimer
In the journey from childhood to adulthood, young people face a pivotal moment where they begin to chart their future paths. For many, this involves choosing a high school track that will eventually lead to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, often called STEM. For decades, researchers have tried to understand why girls and women are still underrepresented in these fields. The usual suspects in this story have been stereotypes—the idea that math is a "boy's subject"—and anxiety about failing at difficult problems. These factors certainly play a role, but they tell only part of the story. There is another, quieter force at work during these formative years: the way young people view their own bodies. In a society that constantly evaluates appearance, a concept known as self-objectification has emerged as a significant psychological process. This happens when individuals, particularly girls but increasingly boys too, begin to see themselves primarily as objects to be looked at, judging their worth based on how they appear rather than what they can do or think. This shift in perspective is not just about body image; it consumes mental energy and attention, potentially crowding out the focus needed for other complex tasks.
A team of researchers from Italian universities set out to investigate whether this preoccupation with appearance was linked to how students performed in math and whether they wanted to pursue scientific education. They focused on middle school students, a critical age in Italy where children must choose their high school direction. The researchers wondered if the habit of constantly monitoring one's appearance might drain the mental resources required for mathematical problem-solving, leading to lower confidence and, eventually, a decision to avoid science tracks. To test this, they conducted two studies involving hundreds of students. In the first study, they asked 172 adolescents to complete a timed math test and then fill out a questionnaire about how much they valued their physical appearance compared to their personality and abilities. They also asked the students to rate their own confidence in their math skills. The results revealed a clear chain of events: students who reported higher levels of self-objectification tended to perform worse on the math test. This lower performance, in turn, was linked to lower confidence in their math abilities. Surprisingly, this pattern held true for both girls and boys; the researchers found no significant difference in how this process affected the two genders.
The second study expanded on these findings by looking at the ultimate goal: the intention to enroll in a scientific high school. With a new group of 163 students, the researchers measured the same variables—self-objectification, actual math performance, and math confidence—but added a question about whether the students wanted to study science after middle school. They found that the same chain of events continued to play out. Higher self-objectification was associated with lower math performance, which led to lower math confidence, and this combination ultimately predicted a lower interest in choosing a scientific high school track. The data showed that while actual test scores mattered for building confidence, it was the students' belief in their own abilities that directly influenced their future choices. A student might have performed adequately on a test, but if their self-objectification had lowered their confidence, they were less likely to see a scientific career as a viable option for themselves. Crucially, the study confirmed that this dynamic was not limited to girls. While girls often report higher levels of body concern, the boys in the study showed similar levels of self-objectification, and the negative impact on their math confidence and future aspirations was just as strong.
These findings suggest that the path to gender inequality in science may begin much earlier and in a different way than previously thought. It is not just about telling girls they can do math or showing them female role models; it is also about the broader cultural messages that teach young people to prioritize how they look over who they are. When a student's mind is occupied with monitoring their appearance, there is less mental space available for the deep thinking required in mathematics. This mental drain can erode confidence, making a scientific future feel out of reach. The researchers noted that while their work was correlational—meaning it showed a link but could not prove that one thing caused the other—the pattern was consistent and robust across both studies. They argued that the pressure to be attractive is a shared experience in modern society that affects the academic development of all adolescents, regardless of gender. By understanding that self-objectification can undermine the very confidence needed to pursue science, educators and parents might find new ways to support students. Instead of focusing solely on math skills, interventions could also help young people separate their self-worth from their appearance, freeing up the mental energy needed to explore the world of science and engineering.
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