Table 2.

Survey items for Study 1 and Study 2.

Field-specific ability beliefs
	Being a top scholar of [field] requires a special aptitude that just can’t be taught.
	If you want to succeed in [field], hard work alone just won’t cut it; you need to have an innate gift or talent.
	With the right amount of effort and dedication, anyone can become a top scholar in [field]. (R)
	When it comes to [field], the most important factors for success are motivation and sustained effort; raw ability is secondary. (R)
	To succeed in [field] you have to be a special kind of person; not just anyone can be successful in it. (in Study 2 only.)
	People who are successful in [field] are very different from ordinary people. (in Study 2 only.)
Estimate of female representation (Study 1)
	Please provide your best guess or estimate to this question: in the recent past, what percentage of doctoral (Ph.D.) degrees from American universities do you think have been earned by women in [field]?
Verbal and mathematical ability (Study 2)
	Top-level success in [field] depends to a large extent on one’s verbal ability.
	Top-level success in [field] depends to a large extent on one’s mathematical ability.
Solo and competitive work (Study 2)
	[Field] is a field in which you spend a lot of time working by yourself rather than being around other people.
	[Field] is a field in which competition with others is much more common than collaboration.

(R) indicates items that were reverse scored.

Responses to all items except estimate of female representation were given on a 7-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 7 = strongly agree), with an additional option for “don’t know.” Responses for estimate of female representation were given on a 10-point scale, with each point representing a 10% increment.