This study investigated whether humanitarian applications of computing are more interesting and motivating to students than non-humanitarian options and whether there are differences across race/ethnic groups. A survey was developed to measure students’ interest by asking them to choose between two applications, one humanitarian and one non-humanitarian. Students were also asked to rate how motivating they would find working on a collection of humanitarian and non-humanitarian applications.

376 introductory computing students at four institutions completed the survey and 340 student responses were analyzed based upon their self-reported races/ethnicities. Students in all race/ethnic groups were more interested in and motivated by humanitarian applications over non-humanitarian options. Black, Latinx and White students chose humanitarian applications more often than Asian students, indicating a higher level of interest in computing for social good. All four groups rated humanitarian applications statistically higher than non-humanitarian at the p<.001 level.