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Reposted by Jessica Gladstone

Emily Rosenzweig @emilyqr.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Very happy to share a new paper, out in Developmental Psychology, that explores why math and science course support isn’t always enough to help with career plan development. We find that course and career motivation develop distinctly during college and each relate to different outcomes:

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Well-intentioned role-model books may not always align with what motivation science recommends. The fix isn't to distort scientists' stories — just to tell them in ways that are both true and motivating.

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Main Findings (4/4): 🔹 Biographies of female scientists emphasized hard work over talent far more than biographies of male scientists, even accounting for the obstacles they faced

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Main Findings (3/4): 🔹 Fields like physics, engineering, and computer science — where representation gaps are largest — were especially likely to credit success to innate talent

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Main Findings (2/4): 🔹 Ability messages were mixed — kids are just as likely to read that talent is fixed as that it's developed. Research suggests mixed messages like this can be less motivating than no message at all.

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Main Findings (1/4): 🔹 Most books portray interest in science as something scientists were just born with — not something that develops over time. That risks alienating kids who don't yet see themselves as "science people."

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Jessica Gladstone @jessgladstone.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

New in PNAS! Gabby Applebaum, @andreicimpian.bsky.social, and I analyzed 422 bestselling children's science biographies (1,355 scientists!) to see what messages they send about how success happens. Turns out, not always motivating ones. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2612021123 (cont'd below)

urldefense.com

Children’s books about scientists convey demotivating messages | PNAS

Biographies of scientists are widely used to spark children’s interest and broaden participation in science. In telling the stories of successful s...

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