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OntheInternet,asinlife,menandwomenhavedifferentmotivationsfordoingwhattheydo.AccordingtoarecentreportfromPewInternetandAmericanLife,womenviewtheInternetasaplacetoextend,support,andnurturerelationshipsandcommunities.
Mentendtoseeitasanoffice,alibrary,oraplayground--screwthecommunity,thisisaboutfunctionnotfamily.
Thereportfoundthatwomenaremoreenthusiasticcommunicators,usingemailinamorerobustway.Notonlysendingandreceivingmoreemailthanmen,womenaremorelikelytowritetofamilyandfriendsaboutavarietyoftopics,sharingnews,joysandworries,planningevents,andforwardingjokesandstories.
Whilebothsexesequallyappreciatetheefficiencyandconvenienceofemail,womenaremorelikelythanmentovaluethemediumforitspositiveeffectsonimprovingrelationships,expandingnetworks,andencouragingteamworkattheoffice.
"Womenalsovalueemailforakindofpositive,water-coolereffect,whichlightenstheatmosphereofofficelife,"readsthe54-pagereport.
ThereportfoundthatwomenaremorelikelytousetheInternetforemailing,gettingmapsanddirections(afterall,wemenalwaysknowwhereweregoing),lookingforhealthandmedicalinformation,seekingsupportforhealthandpersonalproblems,andgettingreligiousinformation.
Mentendtobemoreintenseusersthanwomen,beingmorelikelytogoonlinedaily(61%ofmenand57%ofwomen)andmorelikelytogoonlineseveraltimesaday(44%ofmenand39%ofwomen).
Menalsotendtogoonlineingreaternumbersthanwomenbutforamuchbroadervarietyofreasons.MenaremorelikelytousetheInternettochecktheweather,getnews,finddo-it-yourselfinformation,acquiresportsscoresandinformation,lookforpoliticalinformation,dojob-relatedresearch,downloadsoftware,listentomusic,rateaproduct/person/servicethroughanonlinereputationsystem,downloadmusic,useawebcam,andtakeaclass.
Notetherewasnothingabout"nurturingrelationships."
Herearesomestatsforthenumbercrunchers:
·67%oftheadultAmericanpopulationgoesonline,including68%ofmenand66%ofwomen
·86%ofwomenages18-29areonline,comparedwith80%ofmenthatage.
·34%ofmen65andolderusetheInternet,comparedwith21%ofwomenthatage.
·62%ofunmarriedmencomparedwith56%ofunmarriedwomengoonline
·75%ofmarriedwomenand72%ofmarriedmengoonline
·61%ofchildlessmencomparedwith57%ofchildlesswomengoonline
·81%ofmenwithchildrenand80%ofwomenwithchildrengoonline.
·52%ofmenand48%ofwomenhavehigh-speedconnectionsathome
·94%ofonlinewomenand88%ofonlinemenuseemail
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