Majoring in computer science: Causal models for women and men

Data taken from a questionnaire completed by 305 undergraduate students were used to test a causal model for predicting intent to major in computer science. The model, derived from an expectation × value theory framework, provided an acceptable fit to the data for both female and male samples. However, when the model was tested independently for males and females, there were some quantitative differences in the strength and significance of the causal paths. Attitudes toward mathematics appeared to play a more complex and stronger role in men's than in women's plans to major in computer science, while experience with computer science played a stronger, more positive role in women's than in men's plans.

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