An analysis of gender bias in cd-rom educational software

This research examined the extent of gender bias in educational CD-ROM software targeted to children aged three to eight. The study was designed to augment past research that may already be outdated due to the changing nature of computer technology and to discover questions for further research. The research method for this study was content analysis. Four coders content analyzed ten randomly selected pieces of software produced and distributed by three major companies. The coders examined the character portrayals and program elements in each CD-ROM program. In examining these areas, coders categorized each character that they observed and recorded their overall interpretations of the program elements. The research found that male characters appeared more often than female characters in the software studied and that male characters were more likely to assume active roles than were female characters. Also, the research found that the program elements in the software studied were not targeted to primarily male or female users; instead, each program incorporated elements that would appeal to both male and female users. Finally, the research suggested that male users and female users may perceive character portrayals, character roles, and program elements differently.