Promoting Gender Equality:Responses to Greenhouse Program Questions

Jay McClellandLucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences

Director, Center for Mind, Brain and Computation

My Background

• Cognitive Science and Cognitive Neuroscience• Models of Cognitive Processes• No Research History in Gender Issues• Some Relevant Knowledge– Exposure to research on gender differences in

mathematical and visuospatial abilities and effects of interventions on these abilities

– Exposure to research by psychologists in my department that speaks to issues related to racial and gender inequality

Greenhouse Program Questions• What areas of research point to success around gender equality?

– Stereotype threat research (Claude Steele, Now Dean of School of Education)– Belongingness research (Geoff Cohen and Greg Walton, School of Ed. and Psychology)– Mindset research (Carol Dweck, Psychology)– Research on the malleability of cognitive skills relevant to academic disciplines in which

there remains considerable gender imbalance (Nora Newcombe, Temple University; Mary Hegarty, UC Santa Barbara)

• What research hasn’t been done that could be explored to test new theories and interventions? • Research that seeks to understand why interventions lead to improvements and

whether these improvements actually impact on career choice / and measures of success within career chosen

• (Research that seeks to understand how value and advancement is apportioned to contributions of different kinds and different styles)