Gender Differences in Math Ability: The Impact of Media Reports on Parents

Abstract

Research reports of educationally relevant findings are infrequently covered by the media. When research is the focus of the popular press, the media are believed to have a strong influence on public opinions. An empirical study was conducted to investigate the impact of media coverage following the release of a research report by Benbow and Stanley (1980). Parents of adolescents were targeted as the population most likely to be influenced by the research findings. Parents who had responded to surveys regarding their children's math abilities prior to the media coverage were recontacted and their beliefs were reassessed. The results provide evidence that research reported in the media can have an effect on the beliefs of people who are exposed to it. In this article, we discuss the nature of the media coverage and its differential impacts according to gender and prior beliefs.