spacereface-research

Space Reface
Toolkit

Relevant Research

Original Study

Cheryan, S., Plaut, V. C., Davies, P. G., & Steele, C. M. (2009). Ambient belonging: How stereotypical cues impact gender participation in computer science. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 97(6), 1045.

Summary

This toolkit is inspired by several studies showing that ambient environmental cues signal to women and people of color whether they belong in a place.

In one of the earliest studies, social psychologist Sapna Cheryan and colleagues randomly assigned 39 college students to complete a career interest survey in one of two conditions. Participants in the geek lab condition took the survey in a room decorated with items associated with the masculine computer scientist stereotype. These items included a Star Trek poster, video game boxes, soda cans, and junk food. In the neutral lab condition, participants took the same survey in a room decorated with a nature poster, general interest books, water bottles, and healthy snacks.

Results showed that women in the geek lab condition expressed less interest in majoring in computer science than did women in the neutral lab condition. Meanwhile, men in both conditions showed the same levels of interest in computer science, regardless of the lab’s decor.

Why This Works

People tend to leave places where they don’t feel welcome. Masculine, “geeky” decorations signal to many women that only men are welcome and can succeed in computer science. These signals make many women less interested in the field. But gender-neutral decorations help women feel that they could belong in computer science.

When This Works Best

Changing decor has the biggest effects on people who are not already strongly committed to a field.

Change Model

1. ACTIVITIES→

Assess a space's people, art, artifacts, amenities, and temperature
Improve representations of and acccomodations for women and people of color

2. PSYCHOLOGICAL CHANGES→

Women and people of color feel they belong and can succeed in the space

3. BEHAVIORAL CHANGES→

Women and people of color perform better on work-relevant tasks
Women and people of color stay in the space

4. SOCIETAL CHANGES

More women and people of color choose a wider range of majors, careers, and workplaces, decreasing inequality and increasing innovation

Additional Research

Chaney, K. E., & Sanchez, D. T. (2017). Gender-inclusive bathrooms signal fairness across identity dimensions. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 9(2), 245-253.

Cheryan, S., Meltzoff, A. N., & Kim, S. (2011). Classrooms matter: The design of virtual classrooms influences gender disparities in computer science classes. Computers & Education, 57(2), 1825-1835.

Inzlicht, M., & Ben-Zeev, T. (2000). A threatening intellectual environment: Why females are susceptible to experiencing problem-solving deficits in the presence of males. Psychological Science, 11(5), 365-371.

Murphy, M. C., Steele, C. M., & Gross, J. J. (2007). Signaling threat: How situational cues affect women in math, science, and engineering settings. Psychological Science, 18, 879–885.

Purdie-Vaughns, V., Steele, C. M., Davies, P. G., Ditlmann, R., & Crosby, J. R. (2008). Social identity contingencies: How diversity cues signal threat or safety for African Americans in mainstream institutions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 94(4), 615.

In the Media

The New York Times: What Really Keeps Women Out of Tech

Geek Wire: Study: Here’s how to beat the stereotypes that keep women out of computer science

Washington Post: Researchers explain how stereotypes keep girls out of computer science classes

SPARQ Solutions Catalog: Reface the Space to Keep Women in Tech