Final answer:
The phenomenon of women scoring lower on math tests alongside men is known as stereotype threat, where performance is hindered due to the fear of confirming negative societal stereotypes based on gender.
Step-by-step explanation:
Women scoring lower on math tests when tested alongside men is best illustrated by the impact of stereotype threat. Stereotype threat refers to the situational predicament where individuals are at risk of confirming negative stereotypes about their social group. This can lead to anxiety and reduced performance, which may partly explain why women perform less well on math tests in the presence of males. It's important to recognize that various gender stereotypes and the resultant biases, not the individual capabilities of women, lead to these disparities. Factors such as the encouragement of boys over girls in STEM fields, and the unequal treatment in educational institutions from an early age, contribute to the development of these stereotypes. These systemic issues hint at larger societal patterns of gender inequality that conflict theorists argue are perpetuated through biased systems, such as standardized testing, that maintain established power configurations.