A study of 3,726 students in 88 classes in China found that the presence of top-ranked female students raised the academic performance of other girls, with the strongest gains among lower-ranked pupils and those from disadvantaged rural families. [1]
The research, based on the China Education Panel Survey, tracked grade 7 midterm exam results in the 2013 school year and followed the same students one year later. It found no similar positive effect for boys of the same age. [1]
The study said gender gaps in Chinese education have narrowed, but differences remain, especially in higher education STEM fields where men still outnumber women. It also found that girls scored higher than boys on average in junior high school exams, even as they reported lower self-confidence. [1]
Researchers said the pattern points to a role-model effect rather than competition. They found that parents of girls in classes with top-ranked female students raised expectations and invested more in their daughters' education and emotional support. [1]
The researchers wrote that making female academic excellence more visible could help girls in junior high school fully realize their academic potential. The study was published in the Journal of Development Economics on 2023-04-13. [1]