John Houston Paige Inman Elizabeth Morgan Rachel Kurowski
John Houston Paige Inman Elizabeth Morgan Rachel Kurowski
Pretend you’re at a Physics conference…. If you have an X on your card, please stand up.
Results for X If this room was all physicists, only those with X’s would be women.
Now pretend you’re at a developmental psychology conference… If you have a Y on your card, please stand up.
Results for Y If this was a room full of developmental psychologists, all those with Y’s represents how many of you would be women.
A Contentious Problem “Girls do not score as highly as boys on math and science exams during late high school because of innate differences between the sexes, not social differences. ” - (Former) Harvard President Lawrence Summers (January 2005)
Is this true? NO! › Verbal abilities › Women in universities › Women earning degrees
Looking at the Numbers
Despite being better represented percentage-wise in university enrollment, women rarely pursue math and science degrees.
Why does “leaky pipeline” occur? If one already understands that women can perform as competently as men at math and science, what makes women prefer these people-oriented professions? News: http: //youtube. com/watch? v=tjn 6 ZSU _z. S 0&feature=related
A Missing “math gene? ” Not quite… Girls are not inadequate in these fields. Socialization says they shouldn’t be interested, so they aren’t. When women are reminded that they are inferior in math/science, they perform worse
Socialization (Gender Construction) • How children are slotted into sex-based gender roles from the moment of birth. ” • Rose Petal Cottage: http: //youtube. com/watch? v=2 d. Xl. Aj. CU 8 G 4&feature=r elated Tonka: http: //www. hasbro. com/tonka/ • Easy Bake Oven: http: //youtube. com/watch? v=v. K 6 s. Kmwqw 8 s •
Gendered Commercials Girls: › "Taking care of my home is a dream, dream. “ Boys: › “They're just built different" › "Feeding their need for speed AND control, " and ". . . doing what comes naturally. “ “Biological” differences?
MEN
Female Stereotypes What do you think?
Higher Education and the Workplace UNESCO Institute for Statistics
MYANMAR LESOTHO
Follow the Communist Example? During the Socialist era Eastern European governments supported a positive image of women in these fields.
What they did - 1917, the Soviet Union’s “Emancipation of Women” -“Communist Family Laws”: state invested money -Government-Funded Child Care -Post World War II, the state wanted to be strong
The effects of Communism remain. . . Percent of graduates in science in 2001.
Differences in Classroom Atmospheres “The scientists from Eastern Europe rejoiced in the fact that ‘there were as many girls as boys. ’ In my high school class in Croatia… there were as many girls as boys. Such company [in my classes] did not even make me think that science is not for me. ” -From a UC-Berkeley study
Society Creates Barriers in American Society: › Childbirth › Lack of female mentors › Uncomfortable environments
• “The American South, where I grew up, is very conservative and religious and that culture’s idea of a good role for women is restricted to ‘Good Wife and Mother. ” • More women (32%) than men (4%) had taken career breaks to have children
The Female Perspective Women make up half of the population, and at least half of the consumer base in the US Creating products that aren’t designed with both male and female minds don’t cater to the whole population › Example: Airbags
Staying Competitive Diverse ideas and minds create better products, and for the U. S. to stay competitive, we need as many capable people working in science, specifically IT, to stay up to par.
The Labor Force U. S. Department of Labor -- huge rise in the number of IT jobs Negative stereotypes are keeping women away. The female labor force increasing faster than males
Steps in the Right Direction Organizations and Awards
More Steps… Role models Take a lesson from other countries Lifelong Encouragement Confronting Stereotypes Helping girls’ abilities catch up
Any Questions?
Picture Sources http: //www. babble. com/CS/blogs/strollerderby/2007/10/08 -15/scientist. gif http: //farm 1. static. flickr. com/147/411401266_1 ea 2 f 8 d 518. jpg http: //www. history. navy. mil/ac/artist/b/barclay/48 -031 -b. jpg http: //www. harrywalker. com/photos/Summers_Lawrence. jpg http: //www. slocity. org/utilities/images/leak. jpg http: //artfiles. art. com/images/-/Arnold-Schwarzenegger---Conan-the. Barbarian-Photograph-C 10102051. jpeg http: //fritzdeerlure. com/_borders/s. Robel. jpg http: //www. nfl-football 1. com/images/Hamlin. Hit. Stalworth. jpg http: //media. collegepublisher. com/media/paper 868/stills/3 f 581 f 16 db 17 e-22 -1. jpg http: //img. villagephotos. com/p/2004 -9/824085/img_5696_std. jpeg http: //images. jupiterimages. com/common/detail/45/78/23507845. jpg http: //img 2. timeinc. net/ew/dynamic/imgs/030807/153640__blonde_l. jpg
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