The Computer-Related Self Concept

This paper presents the computer-related self-concept as a new theoretical approach to analyzing and understanding computer-related attitudes, emotions, and behaviors. The approach integrates different lines of research on computer-related self-cognitions. The authors developed and validated a questionnaire to measure the computer-related self-concept and conducted a large online survey with more than 1100 male and female computing professionals. Results show that men have a significantly more positive computer-related self-concept than women. Furthermore, the computer-related self-concept shows high correlations with career motivation. Thus, the concept might serve to further analyze computer-related gender differences and eventually to devise supportive measures in order to foster women’s careers in computing. Further prospects for using the computer-related self-concept in research on human-computer interaction are also explored.