Empowering women in STEM: a scoping review of interventions with role models

Abstract

ABSTRACT Exposing women and girls to female role models is considered essential to break down gender-stereotypical beliefs on STEM interest and engagement. However, evidence remains controversial regarding the efficacy of these interventions. Here, we provide a scoping review of fifty-seven empirical studies that considers information about: (1) research type, (2) target, (3) type of intervention, (4) role models’ characteristics, (5) variables of interest and (6) effects of the study. Our findings show that research is considerably heterogeneous in terms of role models, interventions, variables of interest and effects. Role models are frequently female STEM professionals or a mixed-gender group of STEM workers. Interventions mainly consist of asking participants to read a brief article about the role model and the effect of being exposed to a role model is mostly tested on participants’ characteristics, e.g. attitudes toward STEM and performance. This heterogeneity comes at a price, i.e. it is difficult to understand the effectiveness of role models’ exposure. Future research should focus on whether and how the heterogeneous characteristics of role models influence the efficacy of these interventions.