Gender stereotypes can explain the gender-equality paradox

Recent research has found that the strong underrepresentation of women in math-related fields is more pronounced in more egalitarian and more developed countries. This pattern has been called the "gender-equality paradox." We show that stereotypes relating math primarily to men are actually stronger in more egalitarian and more developed countries and that they mediate the link between development and segregation across fields of study. The mechanisms connecting socioeconomic development to the strengthening of these stereotypes and the gendering of math-related fields are discussed. Results suggest that gender occupational segregation can be reduced but will not decrease by itself as societies become more developed. Appropriate policies are therefore needed to limit this segregation or its impact on gender inequality.