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Hi-tech = Guy-tech? An Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Gendered Perceptions of Information and Communication Technologies

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Abstract

Although it was widely noted by researchers during the 1980s and 1990s that gender role orientation and gendered stereotyping exert a considerable influence on people’s engagement with technologies, there is little evidence of the influence of such gendered influences on contemporary technology users. The present study is based on a survey of 406 undergraduate students aged between 18 and 39 years conducted to examine whether different aspects of information and communication technology (ICT) use continue to be seen in particularly gendered terms by young adults and what reasons could be identified for any gender stereotyping. Analysis of the survey data show how issues of masculinity and femininity continue to be an important-if perhaps more subtle-influence on how young people perceive ICTs in contemporary society. In all, the findings confirm the continuing persistence of gender stereotypes as a frame of reference for ICTs.

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Acknowledgement

I wish to thank all of the students who participated in the study, as well as Rachel Payne, Howard Mellett, Pru Marriott and Neil Marriott for their assistance in the collection of data.

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  1. London Knowledge Lab, University of London, Institute of Education, 23-29 Emerald Street, London, WC1N 3QS, UK

    Neil Selwyn

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  1. Neil Selwyn
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Correspondence to Neil Selwyn.

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Selwyn, N. Hi-tech = Guy-tech? An Exploration of Undergraduate Students’ Gendered Perceptions of Information and Communication Technologies. Sex Roles 56, 525–536 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9191-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11199-007-9191-7

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