What it indicates is that women think their
efforts are worth more than mens.
Respectfully, no. What it indicates is that it takes women more effort to produce the same scores men achieve with less effort.
I.e.: on average men have a higher aptitude in the STEM majors.
“...indicates that women’s higher perceived effort levels are not rewarded.”
What is rewarded is results.
If a six foot guy works his tail off to be as good a basketball player as a 6’ 6” player, it doesn’t make him better. It makes him the same.
Are they suggesting that a poor politician that works his tail off should be elected against a superior candidate that didn’t have to work near as hard to get his message out? Or a football team should win the game because they got a lot more yards rushing and passing, but fumbles did them in, even though they lost in points?
Results are the goal. Results are what’s rewarded. If you have to work twice as hard as everyone else in your field, maybe you are in the wrong field.