Socioeconomic Status, Parents’ Sex-Role Stereotypes, and the Gender Gap in Computing

This study examined the effect of family socioeconomic status (SES) and parental sex-typed views and behaviors on children’s attitudes toward computers. The study sample consisted of 1, 730 male and female high school students in grades 9 and 12. The results indicated that SES, including the parents’ occupations and education, had significant effects on students’ attitudes toward computers. In general, gender-differential attitudes were more pronounced in the lower socioeconomic group. SES had a stronger effect on girls than boys. Analysis of the research findings revealed that both girls and boys perceived the gender stereotypes about computing held by their parents, and such attitudes inversely affected the female students’ own attitudes. Further examination showed that parental encouragement positively influenced boys’ and girls’ attitudes. Step-wise regression showed that parental encouragement had the strongest effect on children’s attitudes, parental sex-typed views ranked next, and SES had the weakest effects.