Amplified social inheritance in STEM: parental careers shape adolescent identity and choice intentions

Abstract

Understanding how family environments shape adolescents’ STEM pathways is critical for designing effective educational interventions and addressing persistent equity gaps in STEM participation. We test for the existence of an amplified social inheritance effect by distinguishing families with no, one or two STEM parents based on student perception and attribute the (amplified) social inheritance effect to identification with STEM. Survey data were collected from 1,253 secondary school students in Germany (686 identified as female, 567 as male). Participants were predominantly aged 14–15 years. Drawing on the conceptualization of family habitus and STEM identity, family constellations, STEM choice intentions, and students´ identification were analysed using ANOVA, post-hoc comparisons, and measured variable path analysis (MVPA). The results support the existence of an amplified social inheritance effect. STEM identity emerged as a key variable through which parental occupations are associated with students’ STEM choice intentions.