Femmes et hommes face à l'ordinateur : disparités?

Femmes et hommes face à l’ordinateur. Histoires du développement d’une relation positive.more

by Rita Bencivenga

"Résumé de la thèse en français : Lorsqu’on parle de l’usage de l’ordinateur par des personnes adultes, il est classique que soient évoquées un certain nombre de disparités femmes/hommes qui mettent notamment l’accent sur une relation... more

"Résumé de la thèse en français :

Lorsqu’on parle de l’usage de l’ordinateur par des personnes adultes, il est classique que soient évoquées un certain nombre de disparités femmes/hommes qui mettent notamment l’accent sur une relation plutôt négative des femmes à l’ordinateur. Les études  réalisées visant à proposer des moyens pour diminuer ces disparités se basent le plus souvent sur des informations recueillies auprès de professionnel-le-s ou expert-e-s ; ce qui laisse dans l’ombre une grande partie des utilisateurs/trices ordinaires. On dispose donc de peu d’informations sur ces personnes qui, sans être expertes ou professionnelles, apprécient l’ordinateurs et l’utilisent régulièrement sans hésiter. C’est à ces personnes que la présente thèse a choisi de s’intéresser.

Son objectif principal  est de collecter des informations concernant ce qui fonde la relation positive à l’ordinateur, que développent des femmes et hommes qui en font un usage régulier mais non professionnel. Dans ce but, vingt-cinq entretiens narratifs ont été réalisés. Prenant appui sur une comparaison intersexe, les analyses réalisées explorent l’existence d’éventuelles disparités femmes/hommes et le rôle potentiel que joue le genre, appréhendé en tant que  système hiérarchisant de normes de sexe .

Les résultats montrent que ces relations positives s'appuient, pour les femmes comme pour les hommes, sur les mêmes éléments et que l’influence du genre dépend des enjeux de pouvoirs et de la reconnaissance des situations considérées comme défiant l’imaginaire qui voit les hommes plus proches de la technologie que les femmes."


Résumé de la thèse en anglais :

When we talk about adults using computers, inequalities between women and men very often emerge, and particular emphasis is placed on the negative relationship which women supposedly have with computers. Studies on ways of reducing these inequalities have often been based on information collected by IT professionals or expert users. This leaves out the majority of normal users (both women and men). Therefore we have very little information on people who, although they are not experts or professionals, appreciate computers and use one regularly and confidently. This thesis is aimed at this particular group of people.
The main objective was to gather information on how women and men who are regular but non-professional users can form positive relationships with ICT computers. Twenty-five narrative interviews were conducted with this aim in mind. Based on a comparison between the sexes, the study explores potential inequalities between women/men and examines the potential role of gender, that is, a “hierarchical system of norms for each sex”.
The results show that positive relationships are based on the same aspects for both women and men. The influence of gender depends on power games and on recognising situations which defy the imagination, in which men are much closer to technology than women."

More Info: Thèse de Doctorat en Sciences de l'Education, soutenue le 11-12-2012

Publication Date: 2012

Research Interests:

Gender Studies, Genre, ICT, and Computeredit

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15 Pages

Passé 50ans dans les Tic : femmes au défi de l'âge et du sexe

Women over50 and ICT: the intersection of sexism and ageism

by Rita Bencivenga

"In the early 1980s, when the first computers appeared in corporate offices and homes, a whole generation of people, born approximately between 1950 and 1970, learned to use them through self-instruction or by taking short informal training courses. This generation is often captured as older generations of people who are much less confident in the use of digital technologies. Within this group, women are often depicted as having a negative relationship with computers and with ICT in general. What is the nature of this relationship to the computer, and has being a woman or a man influenced the construction of this relationship?

A qualitative analysis of semi-structured narrative interviews allowed exploring if and how dimensions such as computer anxiety, self-efficacy, attribution style, which are usually used to investigate rapport with computers, also apply to the specific target group. Furthermore, based on a comparison between genders, the study explored potential inequalities between women and men and examined the potential role of gender, from a feminist materialist perspective which sees gender as a “hierarchical system of norms for each sex”.

The results show that positive relationships are based on the same behaviours and attitudes for both women and men. However, the influence of gender emerged, dependent on power games and on recognition of situations that defy the stereotype in which men are much closer to technology than women. Better knowledge of the relationships that persons have with computer through their unique experiences of technology, in respect to their age, may help planning equality policies related to ageing."

Time: 9 AM to 12 AM

Location: Barcelona, Spain

Event Date: Jun 27, 2014

Organization: AT Gender spring conference

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Reproduced as is bymichelvanroll

15 Pages