ISTOCK
Social integration has different effects on the academic achievement of women and men. Researchers from HSE University’s Institute of Education studied the connections between academic performance and social integration among 4,500 young Russians. It turned out that this connection is much stronger than it might seem at first glance, and that it is more important for women. The results of the work were published in the Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.
The study was carried out within the framework of HSE University’s strategic project ‘Success and Self-Sustainability of an Individual in a Changing World’, which is being implemented under the Priority 2030 programme.
The relationship between academic success and students’ social contacts is important for understanding their educational progress. The research shows that students who actively communicate with others often achieve greater academic success. This interconnection can be seen in various types of relationships: friendship, mentoring, cooperation, and even online communication.
The research indicates that women tend to build larger social networks. However, it is still unclear how gender influences the interconnection between social activity and academic achievement. Researchers from HSE University have analysed this interconnection.
The research was based on data from the long-term panel study ‘Trajectories in Education and Careers’ (TrEC), which covers more than 4,400 young people from different regions of Russia. The article authors measured social integration through the indicator ‘core discussion network’ (CDN)—the group of people with whom a person has interacted on important issues in the last six months. Academic performance was measured through various indicators, including test scores, Unified State Examinations, and university grades.
The researchers examined the connection between the core discussion network size and academic performance using correlation and multiple regression analyses with moderator variables. The share of women in the sample was 54%.
The model showed that women had higher academic achievement scores than men. On average, women’s academic scores are 29.2 points higher than those of men. Moreover, the size of their core discussion network has a positive effect on academic performance. Thus, an increase in this indicator per person increases academic performance by 1.8 points in men and by 4.9 points in women.
The researchers offered several possible explanations for this. This result may be primarily due to the fact that men and women manage their social networks differently and use them for different purposes. Other studies related to social integration also suggest this.
It can also be assumed that young men are more likely to find support in their studies from classmates or teachers. Young women, on the other hand, face a lack of support in educational institutions. They may experience more doubts and fears about subjects where gender stereotypes prevail. All of the above causes force women to look for help and support in other places. Thus, close relationships help them overcome these difficulties and fears.
According to the researchers, universities can take a number of measures to improve female students’ performance. These include raising awareness about social support programmes through official websites and social media more actively. It is possible to create clubs and hold events for female students. Psychological support for female students in the form of individual consultations or group sessions would also be effective.
Particular attention should be paid to male-dominated fields such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Such support will help prevent women from leaving these fields and increase female representation there.
IQ
Oxana Mikhaylova
Co-author of the study, researcher at the Centre for Modern Childhood Research at HSE University