"It is a general stylized fact that girls underperform in math; this constitutes one of the most resistant gender gaps of modern societies. We show that this specific handicap has been sharply attenuated in East Germany."

In those rare individual cases 

where women approach genius 

they also approach masculinity.

Otto Weininger - Sex and Character

A sentimental glance back into history.

Math, girls and socialism (Pdf)

Quentin Lippmann & Claudia Senik

Abstract:

This paper argues that the socialist episode in East Germany, which constituted a radical experiment in gender equality in the labor market and other instances, has left persistent tracks on gender norms. We focus on one of the most resilient and pervasive gender gaps in modern societies: mathematics. Using the German division as a natural experiment, we show that the underperformance of girls in math is sharply reduced in the regions of the former GDR, in contrast with those of the former FRG. We show that this East–West difference is due to girls’ attitudes, confidence and competitiveness in math, and not to other confounding factors, such as the difference in economic conditions or teaching styles across the former political border. We also provide illustrative evidence that the gender gap in math is smaller in European countries that used to be part of the Soviet bloc, as opposed to the rest of Europe. The lesson is twofold: (1) a large part of the pervasive gender gap in math is due to social stereotypes; (2) institutions can durably modify these stereotypes.

Conclusions 

The claim of this paper is that the socialist episode has exerted long lasting multidirectional effects on women’s expectations, self-confidence and choices. Previous studies have shown that women’s attachment to paid work was greater in East Germany. This paper extends the same conjecture to girls’ appetence for mathematics and achievement therein. It is a general stylized fact that girls underperform in math; this constitutes one of the most resistant gender gaps of modern societies. We show that this specific handicap has been sharply attenuated in East Germany. Even in recent years, girls’ performance in math, as measured by international standardized PISA scores, is closer to that of boys in the regions of the former GDR, as opposed to the former FRG. Evidence from the international standardized PISA scores, the International Mathematical Olympiads and International Chess competitions, suggest that the gender gap in math and math-minded competitions is generally smaller in countries of the former Soviet bloc, as opposed to other European countries. We interpret this stylized fact as a legacy of socialist institutions and policies that enacted, in a particularly compelling way, the objective of female full-employment. Policies that facilitated labor market participation and maternity for women were accompanied by official propaganda sustaining stereotypes of professionally active women, whose work was praised as a political engagement in the construction of socialism. Overall, this normative pressure changed the conception of gender roles and identity in many dimensions, including girls’ school curricula and performance.