Why are male students less likely to opt for social science courses? A theory-driven analysis

In this article, we discuss the question of why only a few men decide to study social science
courses such as social work. While the conceptual base of our analysis includes the theory of
planned behaviour and theories centring on gender role orientations, the empirical base is a
random cluster sample of high-school graduates in Switzerland. The results show different gender
effects, as well as direct and indirect effects, for all the theory of planned behaviour factors.
Gender role orientations and the question of how a social science profession fits one’s own
gender identity appear to be of particular importance only among male students.