Should introverted schoolchildren be typecast into science?

SCIENCE suits shy people. A Dutch study has found that introverted students are more likely to choose science subjects at school, while more sociable peers tend to drop them at the first opportunity - regardless of their natural ability. The study raises the question: should teachers encourage students to choose subjects that "fit" their personality or to break out of the mould?

Education researcher Hanke Korpershoek and her colleagues at the University of Groningen used data from a study which followed thousands of Dutch students throughout their education and included personality tests.

Korpershoek analysed data from nearly 4000 students and found that their subject choices at age 15 were affected by personality. Students who chose science subjects tended to be less extroverted than those who chose non-science subjects. They also scored more highly on conscientiousness and emotional stability (Journal of Research in Personality, vol 44, p 649).

The result remained significant even after controlling for the effects of mathematical ability and gender.

This is the first study to investigate how personality differences affect students' subject choices, according to Korpershoek.