Gender Differences in New Media Use: New Zealand, Germany, and the US

Early research on new media showed that women were much less likely to use such media, especially computer-based media. They lacked necessary skills to make use of new media and they had many negative attitudes about these media. This research documented a gender gap that could have had long-term consequences. Recent research has reported that the gender gap is closing in some parts of the world but not in others. While American women are using new media at levels that compare to those of men, European women are lagging behind.
In this study, we have assessed changes in women’s use of new media over the past five years using survey data collected at three universities in the US, Germany and New Zealand. In Germany and the US we have data collected annually from 2001 to 2005. In New Zealand we have data from 2005.
Findings show that the gender gap in the use of all forms of new media has closed in the US. In Germany there is still a gap for computer and Internet use but no gap for SMS and cell phone use. There is ample evidence that women are developing skills they need to use new media technology effectively. In the US they excel at using computers for instant messaging while in New Zealand they excel at text messaging. Women at all three universities see new media as providing useful ways to stay in touch with friends and people who share their interests.

Publisher: Paper presented at the annual meeting of the International Communication Association, Dresden International Congress Centre, Dresden, Germany, Jun 16, 2006
Year of Publication: 2006