Survey Design Working Session

Gender Disparity

The discussion on gender disparity in podcast listenership highlights a significant imbalance, with a predominantly male audience. Susan Gerbic and Kyle Polich explore potential reasons for this trend, noting that it mirrors broader patterns in STEM fields 1. Kyle observes that the ratio of male to female resumes he receives is about ten to one, reflecting the gender imbalance in the industry 1. Susan adds that interests in pseudoscience also show gender divides, with men gravitating towards topics like UFOs and women towards psychics 2.

What is it about data that is a male thing, or is it just... I wish I had the answer. I truly don't.

--- Kyle Polich

The conversation underscores the need for continued efforts to achieve gender parity in STEM and related fields.

   

Demographic Insights

Demographic insights reveal that the majority of the podcast's audience is based in the United States, with significant listenership in Australia, the UK, Germany, and India 3. Kyle Polich explains that while they haven't explicitly asked about age in surveys, the median age appears to be in the 40s based on other data 4. Susan Gerbic notes the importance of surveys in understanding audience demographics, despite the challenges in collecting comprehensive data 3.

I think it's really interesting how these surveys really tell us so much more about the story of our listenership.

--- Susan Gerbic

These insights help tailor content and outreach strategies to better engage with the audience.