One of the reasons why there is a lack of women's involvement is because women are not encouraged to enter technology fields, or they are encouraged to leave technology fields. This may be due to stereotypes, as women in technology-related fields report greater concerns about stereotype threat than men in the same fields (Deemer). This could also be because they were told that they could not perform as well, because they saw posters/advertisements aimed at men, or because their peers or teachers were mostly men. The lack of women in technology may also be due to socialization (Demiray). Socialization is the process through which individuals of both sexes learn the norms, attitudes and behaviors of society. Society leads many to believe that men are the producers of technology and women are the domestic users. Factors such as family, media, peers, and school can embody the belief that technology is not a woman's job, and from birth, women are socialized to believe the same. In addition to the social aspects, there are also educational ones. Many women aren't taught technology until high school or college, which is often past the tipping point of their education. As women graduate and find jobs, there is sometimes sexism in the workplace (Guynn). Even the most progressive tech companies have been criticized for not having qualified women in leadership positions, and many women at tech companies say they have been sexually harassed or marginalized at work. Another reason why women are not encouraged to enter tech fields is the lack of role models for women in tech (Wolcott). A large amount of educational technology research is conducted and published by male authors, and successful women often have a role model in the same field such as a mother, sister, or friend who introduces them to the field. Finally, women may not be interested in technology due to family
tags