  Societal stereotypes and biases pertaining to who belongs in physics and who
can excel in physics can impact motivational beliefs, e.g., of women and racial
and ethnic minority students in physics courses. This study investigates how
the learning environment predicts male and female students' motivational
beliefs including physics self-efficacy, interest, and identity at the end of
year long (spanning two-semester) algebra-based introductory physics courses.
These were courses at a large university in the US taken primarily by
biological science majors many of whom are interested in health professions.
Although women are not underrepresented in these physics courses, societal
stereotypes and biases internalized by female students over their lifetime can
still impact their motivational beliefs about physics. Our findings show gender
gap in motivational beliefs favoring men. These findings can be useful to
provide support and create an equitable and inclusive learning environment to
help all students excel in these courses.
