Join or shun? Ethical concerns, perceived utility, and computer science career interest

• In Event: Special Topics in Career and Technical Education & Workplace Learning

Abstract

Public anxiety about data breaches, algorithmic bias, and workforce disruption raises a key question for recruitment into computer science (CS): do ethical concerns repel students, or do they motivate entry as would-be problem solvers? Drawing on Situated Expectancy-Value Theory and Protection Motivation Theory, we analyzed survey data from 6,707 first-year U.S. college students. Multinomial logistic regression tested how Ethical Concern and Perceived Utility of CS—plus their interaction—predicted intended careers in CS, engineering, science, medicine, or non-STEM. Ethical Concern alone did not matter, but its effect was contingent on utility. When utility was high, greater concern increased the odds of choosing CS; when utility was low, concern deterred it. Findings inform ethics-integrated CS curricula and recruitment.

Authors

• Chen Chen, University of Hong Kong

• Zeyu Han, University of Hong Kong

• Gerhard Sonnert, Harvard University

• Yun Dai, Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Philip M. Sadler, Harvard University