1. The Effect of Gender on the Response to Technological Error Calvin Chan and Jamie Jin PSY/ORF 322 Spring 2005

2. The Beginnings Professor Cooper’s lectures inspired us to think about the gender gap, specifically in college. Professor Cooper’s lectures inspired us to think about the gender gap, specifically in college. Research has shown that the comfort level with computers is based on previous experience, which correlates with gender. Research has shown that the comfort level with computers is based on previous experience, which correlates with gender. We wanted to see how wide, if at all, the gender gap was in college. We wanted to see how wide, if at all, the gender gap was in college.

3. A Case Study Jane Margolis conducted a study on CS students at CMU. She gave a survey to all first year CS students: Jane Margolis conducted a study on CS students at CMU. She gave a survey to all first year CS students: 40% of males passed the AP exam to place out of the intro course. 40% of males passed the AP exam to place out of the intro course. No females passed the exam. No females passed the exam. 53% of males indicated they were highly prepared for their classes. 53% of males indicated they were highly prepared for their classes. No females rated themselves as highly prepared. No females rated themselves as highly prepared. 50% of males indicated they had an expert level of at least one programming language. 50% of males indicated they had an expert level of at least one programming language. No females indicated they had such an expert level. No females indicated they had such an expert level.

4. The Gender Gap Exists The gender gap in college is prominent: The gender gap in college is prominent: At the top 12 research universities, females receive 18% of bachelor’s CS degrees (Margolis 1997) At the top 12 research universities, females receive 18% of bachelor’s CS degrees (Margolis 1997) The takers of the AB level CS AP exam were 12% female in the years from 1992 to 1997. The takers of the AB level CS AP exam were 12% female in the years from 1992 to 1997. It seems that males are the ones experiencing computers in high school, which translates into their dominance in numbers and confidence in college. It seems that males are the ones experiencing computers in high school, which translates into their dominance in numbers and confidence in college.

5. The Motivation Everybody knows how to type an essay in Microsoft Word, but how do people react when faced with an error or a crashed program? Everybody knows how to type an essay in Microsoft Word, but how do people react when faced with an error or a crashed program? Does the gender gap predict how males and females interact with computers? Does the gender gap predict how males and females interact with computers? We wanted to test if and how people would react to a software failure, and to see if gender correlated with their exploring abilities or “trial and error” mentality. We wanted to test if and how people would react to a software failure, and to see if gender correlated with their exploring abilities or “trial and error” mentality.

6. The Test Creation We decided to create a computer program disguised as a survey. We decided to create a computer program disguised as a survey. However, an intentional error was programmed, so that it would activate in the middle of the survey. However, an intentional error was programmed, so that it would activate in the middle of the survey. Information gathered included: time taken, major, gender, self-rated comfort level with computers. Information gathered included: time taken, major, gender, self-rated comfort level with computers. We wanted to see how long the user would fiddle with the program before seeking help from the surveyors. We wanted to see how long the user would fiddle with the program before seeking help from the surveyors.

7. The Hypothesis The Gender Gap seems to predict that women would be quicker to seek assistance after encountering an error, and thus would spend less time with the survey. The Gender Gap seems to predict that women would be quicker to seek assistance after encountering an error, and thus would spend less time with the survey. Also, it seemed that males would try to fix the error or try to bypass it in some way. Also, it seemed that males would try to fix the error or try to bypass it in some way.

8. The Experiment A completely computerized approach was used to implement the study. A completely computerized approach was used to implement the study. Users were pointed to a link, where they would be able to download and run our “survey.” Users were pointed to a link, where they would be able to download and run our “survey.” They were instructed to download and run the program, and to seek us only after they were complete with the survey, wanted to stop, or had a problem They were instructed to download and run the program, and to seek us only after they were complete with the survey, wanted to stop, or had a problem A data file on the computer was created automatically when the program was run, that stored all of the info we aimed to collect. A data file on the computer was created automatically when the program was run, that stored all of the info we aimed to collect.

9. Get Ready for a Demo!

11. Stories from the Field A majority of people would seek help immediately after seeing an error, regardless of gender. A majority of people would seek help immediately after seeing an error, regardless of gender. Many complaints that the survey didn’t work. Many complaints that the survey didn’t work. A few participants later mentioned that they suspected what we were up to. A few participants later mentioned that they suspected what we were up to.

12. Gender vs. Comfort Level

13. Gender vs. Time

15. Gender vs. Restarts

17. Major vs. Comfort Level

18. Major vs. Time

20. Major vs. restarts

22. Comfort Level vs. Time

23. Comfort Level vs. Restarts

24. What does our data say? It suggests a gender gap, but is inconclusive. It suggests a gender gap, but is inconclusive. There is not a large difference between the genders, especially when considering standard deviations. There is not a large difference between the genders, especially when considering standard deviations. Comfort level does not seem to provide a good correlation with restarts/time spent with the program, at least for this set of data. Comfort level does not seem to provide a good correlation with restarts/time spent with the program, at least for this set of data. Outliers may be the reason the genders are characterized the way they are. Outliers may be the reason the genders are characterized the way they are.

25. What does our data say? Other important issues to note include: Other important issues to note include: Girls report lower comfort levels, but work past the error almost as well as boys. Girls report lower comfort levels, but work past the error almost as well as boys. Girls take longer with the survey than boys, but length of time does not correlate with error response. Girls take longer with the survey than boys, but length of time does not correlate with error response. There is a perceived gender gap, but similar performances from the data by both groups do not support the gender gap. There is a perceived gender gap, but similar performances from the data by both groups do not support the gender gap.

26. For the future Larger sample sizes are needed to understand any sort of correlation or conclusion. Larger sample sizes are needed to understand any sort of correlation or conclusion. The reported low confidence of girls’ comfort levels indicate a problem. The reported low confidence of girls’ comfort levels indicate a problem. There may need to be some sort of reform in the education system to account for the gender gap. There may need to be some sort of reform in the education system to account for the gender gap. Society would gain to have more women in the area of IT. Society would gain to have more women in the area of IT.