A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE MOTIVATION OF MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS IN CHOOSING PHYSICS UNDER THE BACKGROUND OF THE NEW COLLEGE ENTRANCE EXAMINATION

With the promotion and implementation of the new college entrance examination system in our country, the elective subjects for students are becoming increasingly diverse. This paper aims to explore the motivational differences between male and female students in choosing physics under the new college entrance examination context. The research has found that although the new policy encourages students to choose subjects based on their interests and abilities, external factors such as restrictions on undergraduate major selection have a significant impact on subject selection decisions. Especially for female students, they face greater external pressure when choosing subjects, but their choices are more rational, with clearer future career planning. In contrast, male students have a more emotional motivation to choose subjects due to their love for physics. Although the number of female students choosing physics has not decreased under the new system, this trend does not continue into university, indicating that short-term external motivation is not sufficient to determine long-term career choices. This study provides strong theoretical and empirical support for the formulation and practice of education policies. It is recommended that the education department deeply understand the influencing factors to ensure that students can make the best choices.