The results of a Harris survey released last week show that American women are increasingly integrating computing into their lives. The study, conducted last summer online, asked various lifestyle questions of more than 2,000 men and women. Women still lack confidence in computer purchase decisions, but they also lack confidence in the level of men’s computer knowledge (32% of them thought men overstate their computer savvy).

Echoing the results of an earlier Yahoo! survey, the respondents to this research felt “lost” if they didn’t check their e-mail at least daily. More women than men wanted wireless access for their laptops (39% vs. 29%). The pollsters noted a large increase in security issues with women from a similar survey conducted in 2002. Now 87% of the women agree that checking a laptop with luggage or leaving it unattended is too risky. Just two years ago the percentages agreeing on these issues were around 57%.

Harris Interactive performed the survey for Intel, a manufacturer of computer chips, networking, and communications products. In the press release concerning these results, Intel’s cultural anthropologist, Dr. Genevieve Bell said, “Throughout the world, women are embracing technology as part of their family and work lives, as well as for social, spiritual and romantic occasions.” I saw no results to support her conclusion, but a copy of the research report itself was not offered.

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