These 2 cognitive biases may explain why girls fall behind in tech, engineering, and math

While women are well-represented in the science world, men still prevail in jobs related to technology, engineering, and math — at a ratio of roughly four to one.

This may be a matter of aptitude at the professional level, but only because boys are often pushed toward these fields when girls are not.

For psychologists studying education, that early gap is crucial. If you’re excited about a subject, you’ll want to do it more. If you feel inadequate, you’ll shy away.

The problem is that we humans have a poor understanding of our abilities. We don’t know our strengths and weaknesses. And it’s this issue that can fill kids with self-doubt and turn otherwise bright students into ones who think they’re not.

Here are the two biggest cognitive biases that limit student achievement: Positivity Bias and The Dunning-Kruger Effect

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By Chris Weller at Business Insider