Came acorss this recent report from the Pew internet and American Life project… For what claims to be a ‘wide-ranging study’, the report seems to me full of stereotypes-exist-therefore-will-reinforce statements and worse, “findings” which really say nothing new…
A wide-ranging look at the way American women and men use the internet shows that men continue to pursue many internet activities more intensively than women, and that men are still first out of the blocks in trying the latest technologies.
Among other things, we are told that women like to chat, use email, forward jokes and are are more likely to feel satisfied with the role email plays in their lives, especially when it comes to nurturing their relationships. And even in email, women tend to use it more for personal communication while men communicate with various kinds of organizations. And indicentally, men also use the internet more to search for information, are more tech-savvy and more interested in technology generally…
Woman the gossipy nurturer and man the intelligent provider – can never go wrong…
But where are the insights? Dimensions that have changed (since the last report, in the last few years, whatever), trends that are being seen, and things that can be expected in the future…?
Somehow, this report reminded me of another study I had read about on Lorenz’s Antropologi a while ago… From housewife to mousewive – Anthropological study on women and Internet (although Lorenz does wonder about exactly how anthropological the study was)
A recent anthropological study (combined with nationwide polling) by Demos shows the traditional housewife has been transformed into a ‘mousewife’ as women drive forward the increasing use of computers in the home.