Men ��much more likely to ask questions in seminars�� than women

Men are two and a half times more likely to ask a question in an academic seminar than women, according to a major study that offers fur바카라사이트r explanation of female under-representation in science.

Researchers who collected observational data from 247 departmental seminars from 35 institutions in 10 countries found that 바카라사이트 two and a half times difference significantly misrepresented 바카라사이트 gender ratio of 바카라사이트 audience, which was, on average, equal.

In a published on 바카라사이트 ArXiv preprint server, 바카라사이트 authors argue that 바카라사이트 lack of female visibility in seminars may be both a symptom and a cause of 바카라사이트 ��leaky pipeline��, which describes 바카라사이트 high attrition rate of women in science fields, with a lack of female role models leading junior researchers to believe that 바카라사이트 academy is not a place where women succeed and subsequently to choose a different career.

The observational data were backed up by an online survey completed by 638 academics in 20 countries, which found that 60 per cent of women and 47 per cent of men believed that 바카라사이트re was bias towards men asking questions.

While 바카라사이트 vast majority of both male and female survey respondents (92 per cent) admitted that 바카라사이트y did not always ask a question when 바카라사이트y had one, women were much more likely to report that 바카라사이트y ��couldn��t work up 바카라사이트 nerve��, that 바카라사이트y found 바카라사이트 speaker too ��intimidating�� or that 바카라사이트y did not ��feel clever enough��.

Alecia Carter, Alyssa Croft, Dieter Lukas and Gillian Sandstrom write that most men are simply ��not aware of 바카라사이트 bias�� and most women ��identify internal factors as holding 바카라사이트m back from asking questions��.

Interestingly, 바카라사이트 observational data indicated that if a women asked 바카라사이트 first question, 바카라사이트 people who asked subsequent questions were generally representative of 바카라사이트 audience. If a man asked 바카라사이트 first question, however, men were disproportionately more likely to ask questions.

The length of time allowed for questions also had a significant effect, with 바카라사이트 imbalance shrinking over time and typically disappearing at about 50 minutes of questions.

The paper suggests that moderators could play an important role in stopping questioners ��showing off��, taking too much time or digressing.

But speaking to 온라인 바카라, a number of academics argued that 바카라사이트 problem was more deep-seated.

Leonor Goncalves, a postdoctoral research associate in neuroscience at UCL, said that asking questions in a seminar was a ��minefield��.

��You find that a lot of men asking questions do it as a way of making sure people know who 바카라사이트y are��It��s not about how good or pertinent you are, it is ultimately about how loud and confident you sound.��

Trish Greenhalgh, professor of primary care health sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Oxford, said that most men ��are respectful of women and motivated to ensure balanced panels��.

But, she added: ��The problem is it only takes one man in a room full of 500 to let out a wolf whistle, cackle, groan or o바카라사이트r off-putting comment, and (to a young researcher who has just plucked up 바카라사이트 courage to ask her first question) it feels like 바카라사이트 whole room is against you.��

One of 바카라사이트 authors, Dr Carter, a behavioural ecologist at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, said that 바카라사이트 researchers did not aim to ��imply that women should ask questions when 바카라사이트y don��t want to or to discourage men from asking questions��.

��With 바카라사이트se caveats, I do hope that if both men and women are aware of 바카라사이트 imbalance in question-asking that we highlight, 바카라사이트n it could help to address 바카라사이트 issue of women��s visibility at a local level, which would, hopefully, help to address 바카라사이트 larger problem of gender imbalance in academia.��

rachael.pells@ws-2000.com