Drawing a computer scientist: stereotypical representations or lack of awareness?

Stereotypes people hold about computer scientists contribute to underrepresentation in computer science. Perceptions of computer scientists have historically been linked to males and a "nerd" culture, which can lead to lack of interest, particularly for girls. This article presents two stu...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Computer science education 2018-07, Vol.28 (3), p.232-254
Main Authors: Pantic, Katarina, Clarke-Midura, Jody, Poole, Frederick, Roller, Jared, Allan, Vicki
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cognitive Tests
Computer Science
Computer Science Education
computer scientists
Computer Software
Disproportionate Representation
Freehand Drawing
Gender Differences
Girls
Knowledge Level
Males
middle school children
Middle School Students
Personality Measures
Programming
Projective Measures
Representations
Scientists
Stereotypes
Student Attitudes
Summer Programs
Youth
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Summary:Stereotypes people hold about computer scientists contribute to underrepresentation in computer science. Perceptions of computer scientists have historically been linked to males and a "nerd" culture, which can lead to lack of interest, particularly for girls. This article presents two studies conducted with two groups of middle schoolers: those who attended our programming camp (Study One) and those who did not (Study Two). After analyzing participants' drawings and two survey questions we found that perceptions youth holds about computer scientists may be improving. Additionally, we found that males (versus females) and those youth who did not attend our camp (versus those who did) tended to have more stereotypical perceptions of computer scientists. With this article, we contribute to the literature on CS stereotypes by examining both positive and negative representations youth had about computer scientists. We also cast light on the lack of awareness about this profession among the youth of this age.
ISSN:0899-3408
1744-5175
DOI:10.1080/08993408.2018.1533780