While pundits and politicians rattle on about the gender gap in technology, a new study from the University of Hertfordshire, in England, has found that women are neither frightened by technology nor disinterested. Instead, the study found that women are attracted to electronic gadgets of all types.

In a survey commissioned by the British subsidiary of Amazon.com, psychologists used a device known as a “psycho-galvanometer” to gauge the interest in different gift items. According to the Yahoo! story about the study, the device “measures arousal levels by how the skin resists a small electrical current.” Depending on these readings, the scientists were able to determine which gifts were most popular.

Electronic gifts aroused the greatest response in women. The biggest hit was a DVD player. Even more telling, 60 percent of the women said their love lives would suffer if they did not have their mobile phone or hand-held devices with them, higher than the 40 percent of men surveyed who said the same thing.

“It’s clear that flowers and chocolates really don’t do it for women any more, so men should make sure they go for the coolest, shiniest gadgets,” said lead psychologist Dr. Adam Johnson. It would seem that today’s woman is much like men who adore the latest electronic toys.

Technology and gadgets have long been expensive and impractical. Few people, female or male, wanted to spend the money or go through the trouble. But over time, market forces have driven down the prices of gadgets while driving up their usefulness. This makes them attractive to more and more people.

Some believe that women must be coddled to get interested in technology. More ambitious protectors of women will tell you that there must be something the government can do to encourage women and girls to join the digital revolution. such initiatives have been circulating through Congress, especially those attached to renewed discussion about the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

These initiatives deny the real progress and evolution occurring for and by women to increase participation in the field of technology. They seek to spend lots of money on dubious projects that take for granted the idea that women and girls must be poked and prodded to be interested in math, science, and technology. They ignore the voluntary projects that currently exist devoted to finding those interested and giving them a good start.

Rather than ignoring women’s preferences and seeking out government action, we should be focusing on the many private organizations devoted to encouraging women and girls to find what appeals to them in the fields of science, math, and technology. These private organizations provide support, education, and career advice. From GirlGeeks.com to the Institute for Women and Technology, women who have found technology interesting are reaching out to others who might not have considered the possibilities, or who lack the resources.

These organizations demonstrate that women who want or need the help can obtain it without added cost to taxpayers. The only prudent action for the government is to promote education reform, so that girls and boys can emerge from their school years with the math and science skills necessary for creating tomorrow’s must-have gadgets and gizmos.