Posted on 12/15/2009 2:39:33 PM PST by decimon
The stereotype of computer scientists as geeks who memorize Star Trek lines and never leave the lab may be driving women away from the field, a new study suggests.
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."
The upshot: Women don't feel they would fit in and so steer clear of computer-science majors and jobs, the researchers say. Such avoidance could help to explain why just 22 percent of computer-science graduates are women, a percentage that has been steadily decreasing, according to 2008 data from the National
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
You can say that again.
I knew a guy, computer coding wizard, did database support, etc. Worked for a big outfit making over 6 figures, maybe 30 years old.
Married an incredibly hot gal. He certainly was no Adonis.
By the way, very nice guy. Helped me out with a couple of minor projects at a nominal price.
There are zero women in my data center. Fine by me, I’m already married to a beautiful woman, and don’t have to endure the foolishness of having mixed company in the data center. It’s very freeing after working with a lot of women on the sales team before my current job.
Or when they need their computer working again.
Thing is, a lot of it is irrational fear and just tuning out to working on it.
An iphone is a minicomputer. And people of all ages and both sexes trick those out with all sorts of modifications. Maybe because they see it as a competition, one upsmanship, and an expression of their personal style.
What city? I make over 6 figs in Manhattan and am borderline foodstamp material! In order for a nerdy guy to get a smoking hottie around here, you have to pull around 500K or so a year.
Umm, no, if you look lower left, I believe that is a very young Bill Gates.
But if you do, you can try again
Barefoot and pregnant, although naked is a good start to getting pregnant.
Moe Tucker from the Velvet Underground worked for IBM before she got behind the drums.
Ugh. If any woman is being “chased out “ of computer science because of a few talking Yodas, odd posters, and conversations held in Klingon they are NEVER going to make it out in the field in the real work world. Good riddance.
LQ, 25 year IT veteran who has befriended the bearers of the talking Yodas.
Phoenix, AZ.
Btw, I’ve had job offers in other cities that paid more than what I currently make. However, after I ran a cost of living calculation, it turned out I would lose money if I took the job.
I actually had a recruiter get upset with me when I pointed it out after declining the job offer.
What a steaming pile!
Some of my sons are computer engineers. When they were in university, all the girls without exception were Chinese, Indian or other Asian.
Not one Caucasian girl in the classes.
So girls are taking the degress in IT.
Because it’s drudgery. What can be done to make it fun?
When does work become FUN? When? When?
PS in prison, you get time off for good behavior. at work, they give you even more workload if you are completing your project on time
ping
Because nothing oozes raw masculinity like an engineer or computer programmer. Next thing you know they'll want Scotty to make the engineering deck more welcoming to Sulu.
Now, back to working on my C++ variant I call K++. It is very similar to C++, but uses Klingon terms for all the reserved words.
>>My favorite part of the job side of CS was the lack of other women...<<
Amen!
I get slammed when I say that I would rather work with a whole bunch of men than one woman.
Women in business are backstabbing drama queens.
One of my daughters wants to be an Occupational Therapist.
The other wants to go into EE.
I think I’ll push the first one to EE too.
The vast majority of those women are now lawyers or CPAs.
Because the geeks are just too masculine?
Or because they're not masculine enough?
It looks like guys lose either way.
Maybe this is a prejudice the women have to overcome on their own.
Hey, the white girls are all chasing Tiger Woods or at home practicing with cucmbers. Publik schools suksess
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