Shavot theory of change

 

In the 1980s, two researchers, Licht and Dweck, showed that teenage girls tend to blame themselves when they encounter failure, while boys generally blame external circumstances.

 

For example, if a boy and girl are tested on the same test and score low, the girl is more likely to say, "I'm not clever enough, I'm just not good at math" and maybe even "I'm stupid". While the boy is more inclined to say, "the exam was hard" or "the teacher does not like me". And what happens after this test? The girl will feel like she is a failure. She would not want to learn more math if she did not have to. While the boy will probably forget this test tomorrow ...

 

Licht and Dweck also showed that this self-accusation causes girls to underestimate and avoid tasks in which they may not succeed. This tendency prevents many young women from realizing their full potential in the end and is increasing the gaps between men and women later in life.