Users Divided? Exploring the Gender Gap in Internet Use

Abstract

Many believe that males and females use and regard computer technology differently. Males are generally assumed to be more comfortable with, more adaptable to, and less anxious with computer technology. The same biases are now being applied specifically to Internet technology. Based on research showing that men prefer to use the Internet for information gathering and entertainment, while women prefer to use the Internet for interpersonal communication, this study examined the effects of Internet use when both males and females engaged in the same activity. Participants engaged in synchronous, dyadic chat sessions, and changes in repeated measures of loneliness, depression, self-esteem, and perceived social support were tracked over time. Although previous studies have concluded not only that males and females differ in their computer cognitions and attitudes, but also that they differ in the types of applications they pursue online, no gender differences were found in the present study. 517

Gender Differences in the Usage and Attitudes toward the Internet among Student Teachers in a Public Malaysian University

“…The results reflected that the gender gap in Internet usage among the respondents was marginal and almost nonexistent and females in this study spent as much time on the Internet as their male counterparts. The results of this study were consistent with the earlier findings of Odell et al [18] and Shaw and Gant [17] . They reported that the gender gap in the use of the Internet has been narrowing in recent years.…”

“…The Internet is a potential source of knowledge, information as well as a platform for social interaction. As such, Internet usage is usually motive driven --mainly for the three aspects of communication, information gathering and entertainment [17] .…”

“…A study by Shaw and Gant [17] showed that no gender differences are detected when participants are involved in various online activities such as synchronous and dyadic chat sessions. Odell et al [18] had obtained similar findings that gender is not a significant variable in terms of Internet use.…”

Interrelations Between Virtual-World and Real-World Activities: Comparison of Genders, Age Groups, and Pathological and Nonpathological Internet Users

“…18 However, there were studies that found no gender gap in Internet activities. 19 To our knowledge, however, no research has explored gender differences in the relationship between VW and RW activities.…”

Pervivencia de los estereotipos de género en los hábitos de consumo mediático de los adolescentes: drama para las chicas y humor para los chicos

“…De hecho, los datos del presente trabajo cuestionan otros estudios que afirman que la brecha de género en relación con Internet y otros medios está disminuyendo o no se percibe entre los más jóvenes (Shaw & Gant, 2002) o, como señala el Mobile World Capital (2016), no influye en la brecha digital y, por lo tanto, no necesitaría un trato especial. El artículo pone en el punto de mira las diferencias de género que perviven en nuestros jóvenes en sus consumos mediáticos y nos alerta sobre la necesidad de tomar medidas de actuación.…”