The Underrepresentation of Women in Computer Science (Free Essay Example)

Computer science is one of the hottest career fields these days. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (USBLS, 2022) reported that "employment in computer and information technology occupations is projected to grow 13 percent from 2020 to 2030." Our society is moving towards a more tech-savvy lifestyle, so it's expected that many people will want to study computer science. But, surprisingly, so few women are studying this field. Only 18% of computer science graduating majors are women. Even though other STEM fields, like medicine, have a balanced male to female ratio, computer science has a male-dominated demographic. Therefore, what factors contribute to the underrepresentation of women in the field of computer science? This question is important to answer for me because I am going into this field and, as a woman and also a member of a racial minority group, I would like to see more representation and not feel discriminated against. By finding the root cause, we as a society can find solutions to fix this problem, and in the future, there will be more women represented in the computer science field. Women are underrepresented in computer science because of the environment that favors men, low self-efficacy in their ability to succeed, and a lack of encouragement and early exposure.

The male-dominated environment that is prevalent in computer science is a turn-off for many women interested in that field. Women have the same capabilities in mathematics as men to be successful in the computer science field. However, that doesn't mean they will enjoy working in that environment. To illustrate, women have relatively lower math and science expectancies and values in comparison with men. According to the article "Gender Gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Current Knowledge, Implications for Practice, Policy, and Future Directions" by Ming-Te Wang, and Jessica L. Degol, both state that "Being capable in math and science does not necessarily mean that an individual will enjoy STEM-related activities or even pursue a STEM career. Therefore, in addition to cognitive ability, the competence, beliefs, interests, and value that one attaches to relevant subject domains play a key role in career decision making." (Wang and Degol, 2016). This discrimination makes women question their capabilities in being successful in a computer science career and therefore would make them feel uncomfortable in that setting, so they are more likely to not go that route. All of these details can contribute to a lack of motivation for women to enter this field.

Another element of insufficient women's representation in computer science is women's lower levels of computer self-efficacy. The gender stereotypes that women are less intellectual in mathematics can hurt women's pride and make them feel less efficient in studying computer science. In the article "Women in Computer Science: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Exploring Common Factors Contributing to Women’s Selection and Persistence in Computer Science as an Academic Major" by Lynn Roy Thackeray, the author reveals some studies that explain the phenomenon of the underrepresentation of women in computer science. In one of the studies the author explores, researchers surveyed 280 undergraduate students and compared their computer self-efficacy. Thackeray analyzes the study and states that "the results of this study suggest that women feel less confident with computers and computing tasks because they have less experience when entering undergraduate courses in terms of computer learning and computer practice. As a result of the perception of having learned less than men, women feel more anxious when engaging in computer tasks when compared with male students. " (Thackeray, 2016). These findings highlight the importance of perceptions of abilities rather than the actual abilities themselves. This explains why many female undergraduates felt less interested and unmotivated. Misogyny in the tech industry makes it seem that women lack the capability of being successful in computer science. This makes women lose confidence in themselves. 

Furthermore, the lack of early exposure to computer science as young girls is another factor. Bias and discriminatory behaviors happen at younger ages as children start to manage their career interests. Gendered messages about math pervade adolescence and can influence a girl's perception of any math-intensive career as difficult. In the article "Gender Gap in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM): Current Knowledge, Implications for Practice, Policy, and Future Directions" by Ming-Te Wang, and Jessica L. Degol, the authors state that "Parents’ own stereotype endorsements, beliefs, expectancies, and behaviors may have an impact on their daughters’ identification with math and nascent gender identity in girls as young as six. Therefore, stereotypes emerge early and continue to be salient throughout the lifespan. " (Wang and Degol, 2016). Young girls must be exposed to various fields to make good decisions about their education. But while parents and teachers discourage these young girls in math-intensive fields, many women just haven't had exposure to it.

The stigma and stereotypes from men and society that say women can't succeed in math-intensive fields are a big blocking point. There is no biological reasoning that makes it so that women are less capable of doing well in computer science. This statement makes us understand that the root cause of the underrepresentation of women in computer science is mostly psychological. If only we had changed as a society to encourage women and young girls that they can indeed succeed in math-intensive fields, then we would not have this disproportionate gender gap in computer science.