[ahris]

There's a well documented and researched confidence gap between men and women. While confidence isn't an issue restricted to just women, it is a more prominent issue for them on average. Did a quick search, and here's the first paper I found on the topic. There's a ton more, though I'm not sure which are publicly available.

http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/sarsons/files/confidence_fi...

Also, what you're talking about is also called stereotype threat, which is where "people feel themselves to be at risk of conforming to stereotypes about their social group". First step to combating those feelings is often recognizing them!

[chrismcb]

And how is this sexism? Or are you suggesting they professors should treat women differently? I was half way through the article before realizing the author was female. She could have been anyone, and have the same issues. And then we find out the professor encouraged her.