:: netwoman's blog ::

Women are as good at using the Web as men are

Steve Johnson
Gender differences non-existent when it comes to surfing skills

Among the cliches long exploited by stand-up comics, particularly stand-up comics who aren't too proud to specialize in gender differences, is the one about women being behind the curve on technology.

But a growing body of research about women and the Internet suggests that, in that realm at least, the opening act at the Laff Shack is going to have to get some new material.

Latest is a study out of Northwestern that includes two conclusions: 1. Women are as good at using the Web as men are. 2. Men think they're much better at it than they really are.

In a study of 100 Internet users in New Jersey, researcher Eszter Hargittai found that "none of the women claimed to be experts and none of the men claimed to be complete novices."

Yet when Hargittai and research partner Steven Shafter of Princeton followed the group through a series of search tasks, "with respect to being able to find different types of content, men and women pretty much did the same," she says. "It could either be that women are underestimating their skills or men are overestimating their skills. I can't say which."

posted by Netwoman @ 11:05 AM