By age 6, girls are less likely than boys to think that they can be brilliant, study shows

Why do so few women end up in physics, mathematics and other fields traditionally associated with "brilliance"? Part of the answer may lie in what happens to girls by the time they're out of kindergarten. A new study finds that 6-year-old girls are less likely than boys to think members of their own gender can be brilliant -- and they're more likely than boys to shy away from activities requiring that exceptional intelligence. That's a serious change from their attitudes at age 5, when they're just as likely as boys to think their own gender can be brilliant, and just as willing to take on those activities for brilliant children. The results, described in the journal Science, shows how early these gender stereotypes begin to affect the self-perception and behavior of girls -- which may limit their aspirations and careers into adulthood.