[rtz12]

Countries with more gender equality are richer. Countries with less gender equality are poorer. In poorer countries, you are more inclined to choose careers based on paycheck, less on personal preference. In richer countries you are more inclined to choose careers based on your personal preferences and less on for the paycheck.

It's pretty easy.

EDIT: A good counter example to this correlation could be Japan. Low gender equality but also low female participation in STEM fields.

Why? Because Japan is a rich country.

[ec109685]

The study showed that adjusting for interest in STEM women were 10% less likely to chose that career than a male in gender equal countries, so personal preference (which you’d expect to match with interest) doesn’t entirely explain it.

I don’t think the article cites anything that would support your Japan hypothesis.

[vilmosi]

>>> In richer countries you are more inclined to choose careers based on your personal preferences and less on for the paycheck

The same is true for men though.