Perceived Social Support: Ethnic and Gender Differences in the Computing Disciplines

Since the early 1990's many studies have focused on the decline of women in the computing disciplines at Predominantly White Institutions. A further examination of student data indicates that this decline does not extend to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Research in social psychology indicates that people seek social support when making important decisions. This paper examines the role of gender and ethnicity on students' perceived social support from faculty and students, as well as their overall satisfaction with that support. Data from the first year of a three-year study conducted at 42 U.S. institutions were analyzed to determine if there are gender and ethnic differences in perceived social support in the computing disciplines compared to the non-computing disciplines, as well as in computer science. Results and implications of findings in relation to the recruitment and retention of students in the computing disciplines are discussed.