Gender Differences in Cognitive Abilities and its Effect on Late Adolescent Students’ Career Choices in Secondary Schools in Fako Division: The Case of Cameroon

Abstract

The topic gender differences in cognitive abilities have captivated many people’s curiosities and raises politically and emotionally charged questions. This is because women are underrepresented in some careers which requires high cognitive abilities such as science and engineering related careers. This study seeks to investigate gender differences in creativity and its effect on late adolescent students’ career choices in Secondary Schools in Fako Division. Parallel to reviewing an integrated literature and developing findings on adolescent’s creativity and its effect on career choices, the indicators of creativity that were adopted in this study are; innovation, critical thinking and problem solving. To reduce the gender gap between male and female adolescent students, attention should be given to address the contributory cognitive, motivational, and sociocultural factors, primarily by maximizing the number of career options that women perceive as attainable and compatible with their abilities, preferences, and goals. Until then, large numbers of mathematically talented females will continue to slip through the cracks when their choices are restricted by cultural barriers, gender stereotypes, or misinformation. Our goal, therefore, is to maximize career options for women by capitalizing on female cognitive strengths, emphasizing hard work and effort instead of talent, cultivating female interest in math and science, and removing masculine stereotypes, misinformation, and obstacles that clouds career decisions for both males and female adolescents.