12-17-2009, 02:30 PM
Reading the article, the study sounds like it's less about behavior and more about environment. Not a word about how women are actually treated in the field or observations of women actually interacting with people in the field.
From the description given it almost comes off as a study more about the assumptions and prejudices of people outside the field than anything else.
"And women can be turned off by just the physical environment, say, of a computer-science classroom or office that's strewn with objects considered "masculine geeky," such as video games and science-fiction stuff.
"When people think of computer science, the image that immediately pops into many of their minds is of the computer geek surrounded by such things as computer games, science-fiction memorabilia and junk food," said lead researcher Sapna Cheryan, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington. "That stereotype doesn't appeal to many women who don't like the portrait of masculinity that it evokes.""
And...
"The results come from four studies with more than 250 students who weren't studying computer science.
In the first experiment, about 40 male and female students entered a small classroom that either contained objects stereotypically associated with computer science, such as Star Trek posters, video game boxes and Coke cans, or non-stereotypical items such as nature posters, art, a dictionary and coffee mugs. (The students were told to ignore these objects because the room was being shared with another class.)
Then, the students filled out questionnaires about their attitudes toward computer science."
And...
"In three other experiments, two of which involved about 90 students each, participants were told to imagine stereotypical and non-stereotypical objects in various environments."
(The participants were then asked questions about their preferences in accepting different jobs in either of the described settings.)
If this description really gives a clear picture of the study, the title of the article, "Geeks Drive Girls Out of Computer Science", has little if any foundation as no one is shown to be driving anyone anywhere.
From the description given it almost comes off as a study more about the assumptions and prejudices of people outside the field than anything else.
"And women can be turned off by just the physical environment, say, of a computer-science classroom or office that's strewn with objects considered "masculine geeky," such as video games and science-fiction stuff.
"When people think of computer science, the image that immediately pops into many of their minds is of the computer geek surrounded by such things as computer games, science-fiction memorabilia and junk food," said lead researcher Sapna Cheryan, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Washington. "That stereotype doesn't appeal to many women who don't like the portrait of masculinity that it evokes.""
And...
"The results come from four studies with more than 250 students who weren't studying computer science.
In the first experiment, about 40 male and female students entered a small classroom that either contained objects stereotypically associated with computer science, such as Star Trek posters, video game boxes and Coke cans, or non-stereotypical items such as nature posters, art, a dictionary and coffee mugs. (The students were told to ignore these objects because the room was being shared with another class.)
Then, the students filled out questionnaires about their attitudes toward computer science."
And...
"In three other experiments, two of which involved about 90 students each, participants were told to imagine stereotypical and non-stereotypical objects in various environments."
(The participants were then asked questions about their preferences in accepting different jobs in either of the described settings.)
If this description really gives a clear picture of the study, the title of the article, "Geeks Drive Girls Out of Computer Science", has little if any foundation as no one is shown to be driving anyone anywhere.