New study finds women leave psychology research careers earlier than men
An international analysis by the Max Planck Institute for Human Development reveals that female researchers in psychology depart academia more frequently than their male counterparts, particularly during the first few years of their professional lives.
Career retention differs by gender
The research examined over 78,000 academic career paths to track when these departures occur. Women currently make up the majority of early-career researchers in this specific field. Despite this strong start, they face significant challenges reaching senior professorship positions later on.
Timing of departure is key
The data indicates that long-term retention poses a greater challenge than initial access to the field. Most women exit the profession substantially more often during the early years after entering it. This pattern contrasts with many STEM disciplines where men often leave at higher rates.
Study scope and findings
Lead author Xinyi Zhao noted that far fewer women reach the highest career levels compared to doctoral candidates. The global longitudinal analysis is the first to investigate exactly when these differences emerge over time. Results are published in the journal American Psychologist.
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