The Conceptis' Gender Gap

• by
• Conceptis Puzzles

Thursday, January 30, 2003

It's a well known fact that there has always been a gender gap in computer and math oriented occupations as well as in online presence: men were always a majority. However, when it comes to solving Conceptis' picture-forming logic puzzles, gender dominance seems to be very different.

According to a study made by the Research Foundation for Improving the Representation of Women in the Technology Workforce in 1996, the number of women obtaining Bachelor's and Master's degrees in computer science has declined between the years 1986 and 1996.

For bachelor's degrees, the number peaked in 1986 when women represented approximately 36% of the total number of graduates. In 1996, however, only 27% of the bachelors and masters degree and 15% of Ph.D. degrees were earned by women. According to the study "when we consider that women represent approximately 51% of the total population, these percentages cause concern" and that "It is crucial that we understand why the percentage of women in IT is so low and why the numbers have in fact been declining since 1986".

Replicated but not yet completed

There has always been an additional worldwide gender gap in years past: the number of women online in relation to their share in the total offline population. According to the gender table of GVU's 10th internet survey, in 1998 there were still two online men worldwide for every online woman, yet although this situation has been changed significantly during the last four years there are still more men than women in most countries: For example, according to Nielsen/NetRatings data in the US and in Canada, on May 2001 women already made up 52% of the total at-home Web population, and the Internet population in these countries now mirrors the offline population. This trend is being replicated but not yet completed at various rates worldwide, most rapidly in Asia-Pacific where in Australia, women now make up 48% of the Internet population, followed by New Zealand (46%), South Korea (45%), Hong Kong (44%), Singapore (42%), and Taiwan (41%).

However, you may find it interesting to know that according to Conceptis' marketing department information, although picture-forming logic puzzles are clearly an intellectual pastime requiring logic and deductive skills, almost two thirds (63%) of all Conceptis' community members are females. This distribution pattern is similar to the one that is already known in Japan, where picture-forming logic puzzles are being published for more than 15 years.

College or graduate students

Additional demographic information about Conceptis' community has also just been officially released for publication. According to this information nearly four out of ten Conceptis' members (39%) consider themselves as "Singles", while 32% describe their martial status as "Married" and 29% as "Other than single or married".

Nearly two thirds (64%) of the members are between the ages of 21 and 40: 37% are 21 to 30 years old, while another 27% are 31 to 40 years old. In addition, 12% of the members are younger than 20 and older than 13 years old, while 8% are older than 50.

In terms of occupation it seems that College or graduate students accounts for the largest segment with 17% of all members. Other leading occupations within Conceptis community are Computer technicians or engineers (14%) various professional occupations (12%) such as doctors and lawyers, Academic or Educators (9%) Homemakers (6%) Clerical or Administrative (6%) and K-12 students (6%).