Stereotyping in relation to the gender gap in participation in computing

Abstract

Summary The gender gap in participation in science and technology is widely documented. Various factors have been proposed as contributing to this imbalance, ranging from innately determined cognitive differences to social factors such as explicit and implicit discriminatory practices in the educational system and in the employment market, different patterns of interest, and negative stereotyping of female scientists and technologists. In this study as part of a survey into students’ attitudes to, knowledge about and experience of computers, 928 students at an institution of higher education were asked to rate one of two target figures on 16 personal attributes. Half the respondents randomly selected received questionnaires describing a female computer scientist, and the other half questionnaires describing a male. Aside from the gender of the ratee, questionnaires were identical. Using analyses of variance, responses were analysed to determine whether there were any differences in the rating of the two target figures. Results indicated that on eight of the attributes there were significant differences in rating such that the female target figure was rated more positively than the male. The effect held irrespective of the gender of, or subject studied by, the rater. The implications of these results for the hypothesis that female scientists are negatively stereotyped are discussed, and it is concluded that the negative stereotyping of female computer scientists is becoming increasingly less likely.

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