The effects of gender and social class on mathematics outcomes in Scotland

Abstract

This research uses quantitative methods to study gender and social class differences in
mathematics performance in Scotland. The data used to carry out this analysis is the
Scottish sub-sample from the 2012 OECD Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA). The key variable is the student maths score achieved during the maths assessment.
Relevant variables were selected from the data set, after performing a literature review that
highlighted the role of cultural capital, habitus, subject choice, language and patriarchy on
maths outcomes.
Initial analysis considers mean math score values for populations broken down by each of
the independent variables. Ordinary least square regressions were carried out to consider
what affects student maths score, building up a final model from regressions on each set of
independent variables.
The research concludes that being female has a negative effect on maths score, confirming
concerns around female involvement in maths. The key social class variable was parental
occupational status, which has a positive effect on maths score as occupational index
increases. Social class was found to be related to cultural capital, which in turn has a strong
effect on maths score. Analysis shows that there is a structural difference between what
affects male and female students’ maths scores