Stereotype threat may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in engineering. Because engineering is a traditionally male-dominated field, women may be less confident in their abilities, even when performing on an equal footing. At a young age, girls do not express the same level of interest in engineering as boys, possibly due in part to gender stereotypes. There is also significant evidence of the presence of implicit bias against female engineers, due to the belief that men are mathematically superior and better suited for engineering jobs. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) shows that people subconsciously connect men india email list with science and women with art, based on results from over half a million people worldwide between 1998 and 2010. This unconscious stereotype also has a negative impact on women's performance. Women who persist are able to overcome these difficulties, allowing them to find fulfilling and rewarding experiences in the engineering profession.
Because of this gender bias, women's choice to enter an engineering field for college is also highly correlated with the background and exposure they have had with math and other science courses during high school. Most women who choose to study engineering consider themselves better at these types of courses and, as a result, think they are capable of studying in a male-dominated field.
Women’s self-efficacy also contributes to the gender stereotype that plays a role in the underrepresentation of women in engineering. Women’s ability to think that they can succeed and perform well is correlated with the decisions they make when choosing a college major. Women who display high self-efficacy personalities are more likely to choose to study in the engineering field. Self-efficacy is also correlated with gender roles because men often display higher self-efficacy than women, which may also be the reason why when choosing a major, most women choose not to choose the engineering major.