Definition of Terms
A definition of terms is provided in this section in order to establish shared
meanings for the most commonly used terms in this study. A definition of terms about the
IT job and occupation is useful because the study of IT workers is relatively new
compared to other traditional professionals like lawyers, doctors or teachers, in which
many terms have established meanings. Other terms are defined here because they may
have a different meaning in common parlance.
Academic Programs in Computing/The IT majors: Following the Guide to
Undergraduate Degree Programs in Computing 4 developed in 2004 by a cooperative
effort of the Association for Computing (ACM), the Association for Information Systems
(AIS), and the Computer Society (IEEE-CS), the academic programs in computing are
academic programs for the following majors: computer engineering, computer science,
information systems, information technology and software engineering. These academic
programs are the ones that train future information technology workers and I refer to
them collectively in this study as IT majors.
Socialization: Socialization is the process by which someone learns the ways of a
given society or social group so that he/she can function within it (Elkin, 1960). The
process by which people learn how to perform specified social roles in a way that is
acceptable to members of a relevant cultural group and come to internalize those
expectations (Trice & Beyer, 1993). Socialization is a broader concept than acculturation.
Acculturation involves specifically the adjustment of the individual to social roles that are
culturally established or dictated.
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