Are there gender differences in the

ways males and females use

mobiles phones?
Engineers in Society

VKL
Civil Engineering
Copyrighted Material
Abstract

Mobile phones have become the most important and integral part of todays lifestyle and mobile
handset has become a widely recognized consumer artefact. Where the mobile phones have great and
huge merits there are also demerits as well. There are also gender differences in mobile phone usage.
The primary objective of this present study was to test the hypothesis that there is gender difference in
the use of mobile phones.
A questionnaire regarding the use of mobile devices was developed and distributed to 32 students at
the University of Mauritius. The results obtained show that common stereotypes such as male play
more on theirs phone than female is not justified while others, such as female talk more on their
phone, is relevant. Also, the possibility that the use of phone may have from cultural dependency was
highlighted since the results obtained did not always tally with those from studies in other countries.
Keywords: Gender Differences; Mobile Phone; Phone use

Copyrighted Material
Contents

1.1 Current Mobile phone Usage and Features ................................................................................... 1

1.1.1 The Mobile Phone as an Object of Communication: ............................................................ 1
1.1.2 The Mobile Phone as an Object of Identity, Self-esteem and Symbols ................................ 1
1.1.3 Mobile Phone and Memory Storage ..................................................................................... 2
1.1.4 Role-integrative Functions of Mobile Phone: ....................................................................... 2
1.1.5 Mobile Phone as an Object of Leisure and Entertainment: ................................................... 2
1.1.6 Mobile phones as Tools for Social Change........................................................................... 2
1.1.7 Mobile Banking and Mobile Payment .................................................................................. 2
1.2 Mobile phone Addiction ............................................................................................................... 3
1.2.1 Theoretical analysis for mobile phone addiction .................................................................. 3
1.2.2 Gender and mobile phone addiction ..................................................................................... 3
1.2.3 Causes of mobile Addiction .................................................................................................. 3
2 Gender Patterns of Mobile Phone Usage A Brief Review ................................................................. 4
2.1 Gender Differences in Mobile Phone Usage ................................................................................. 4
2.2 Comparison in the Way of communicating .................................................................................. 4
2.3 Use of mobile phone by Teenagers ............................................................................................... 4
2.4 Use of mobile phone by Women................................................................................................... 4
2.5 Gender Differences in Mobile Phone Production ......................................................................... 5
2.6 Gender Differences in the use of social applications in mobile phones ........................................ 5
1.1 Current Mobile phone Usage and Features

The mobile phone has evolved through the past years into a device that is quickly gaining more importance
in the daily life of people. The emergence of the smartphone has brought a new platform and changed the
way of interaction among people around the world. The very purpose of using a mobile phone has been
modified with the arrival of smartphone with advanced features that has eventually bolstered consumers
interaction capabilities much beyond the traditional phones (Sarwar et al., 2013). The mobile has become
a medium for people to express themselves through messaging, chatting, photos and videos (Chatterjee,
2014). The author claims that the use of such devices has, unconsciously, an impact on the language, writing
style and the way of interpreting information of people.

1.1.1 The Mobile Phone as an Object of Communication:

The mobile phone had found to permeate itself into every corner of the world within a short time period
(Chatterjee, 2014). The mobile phone has reduced the effect of geographic distance among people and
promoted interaction among family, friends and others. The advert of smartphones now enable video call
and multimedia exchange which improved the socialisation process. The main advantage of using the
mobile phone over the traditional telephone, is that it increases the chance to getting connected with the
required person irrespective of where the person is located.

1.1.2 The Mobile Phone as an Object of Identity, Self-esteem and Symbols

Chatterjee (2014) describes the phone as an accessory capable of the describing the identity of its owner.
The choice of the brand, type and colour of the phone promotes individualism. People tend to express their
state of mind or group belongingness through personalisation features of the mobile phone. Studies have
shown that teenagers perceive the mobile phone as a luxurious and stylish device in which they have
ascribed their own personality through the choice of ringtones, colours, wallpapers and other accessories
(Hurrelmann cited in Chatterjee, 2014). Thus the mobile phone has become a symbol of identity.

The use of the mobile phone for social interaction whether through phone calls or through online social
sites, has created a sense of self identity among teenagers and the ability to sustain such strong social
networks has made the mobile phone a powerful device in generating this personal identity among people
(Srivastava, 2004, cited in Chatterjee, 2014)

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1.1.3 Mobile Phone and Memory Storage

1.1.4 Role-integrative Functions of Mobile Phone:

The role of person at time is determined by the status and the place where he is found. For example at the
office, a person occupy the role of an employee. However, the arrival of mobile phone have changed the
role played by a person. For example in the office, the person may still be playing the role of an employee
but upon receiving a call from his family, the person plays the role of a father. Thus the role of the person
is no longer attached to his physical location at particular place (Chatterjee, 2014).

This role integrative function of the mobile has been contributing as an empowering factor for women. The
flexible role switching ability has enabled them to work from home as well as to cater for the family from
work. Mothers are able to contact their children at any time while remaining engaged in other activities.

1.1.5 Mobile Phone as an Object of Leisure and Entertainment:

The emergence of smartphones has provided the society with a new dimension as far as entertainment is
concerned. Mobile phones are now able to connect to the internet, play video, takes photo, listen to music
and share the same with lots of people around the world. The mobile phone is viewed as an all-in-one device
for entertainment since the active use of primary entertainment devices such as the television, radio or video
games have decreased (Chatterjee, 2014).

1.1.6 Mobile phones as Tools for Social Change

Mobile phones can contribute in social change, though not directly triggering economic growth, but through
indirect method by sensitizing the youths to engage in issues that affect their lives (Rodrigo, 2011). This
will result in empowerment of young people. In this respect, organizations can cause social change.

Mobile phones are already changing the social and economic relations and have produced remarkable
benefits in poor countries, in terms of economic growth and personal empowerment and can even boost
under developed countries to skip some of the usual phases in the development process.

1.1.7 Mobile Banking and Mobile Payment

Mobile Banking refers to provision of banking and financial services with the help of mobile
telecommunication devices (Chandran, 2014). This system allows customers of financial institutions such
as banks to conduct financial transactions through their mobile phones. The use of mobile banking has
provided people with a convenient and an efficient banking service allowing them to keep track of their
balance and transactions made.

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Mobile payment is a system that customers to make payments using their mobile phones. This type of
service is categorised as being either SMS payment, NFC payment or payments via mobile applications.
Mobile phones have thus enhanced online shopping and sellers have overcome the geographic distance that
exist between them and the customers. In the customers view, this type of service provides and flexible
and safer way to make payments since there is no need to carry physical cash.

1.2 Mobile phone Addiction

With the advent of technology, the mobile phone has become a much powerful device arousing the
fascination of many people. Due to the ever-increasing amount of activities that can be performed through
a mobile phone, there is an increasing reliance on cell-phones among young adults which may herald the
evolution of mobile phone use from a habit to an addiction.

1.2.1 Theoretical analysis for mobile phone addiction

Although various aetiological theories could be used to explain which cell-phone activities are most likely
to lead to addiction such as the Escape Theory, Learning Theory seems particularly appropriate. Learning
Theory emphasizes, among other things, the rewards gained from various cell-phone activities
(Chakraborty, Basu & Kumar, 2010 cited in Roberts et al. 2014). When any behavior is closely followed
by an effective reinforcer (anything that rewards the behavior it follows), the behavior is more likely to
happen again (Roberts, 2011). This is often referred to as the law of effect.

1.2.2 Gender and mobile phone addiction

Studies investigating the relation between gender and technology use have shown that there are differences
in the ways male and female uses the mobile phone. This is discussed in more details in the next sections.
Through other studies, on fairly concluding note, it has been found that the level of attachment to ones
cell-phone also differs in gender. Females exhibit a higher level of attachment to and dependence on their
cell-phones compared with men (Geser 2006; Hakoama & Hakoyama, 2011 cited in Roberts et al. 2014).

1.2.3 Causes of mobile Addiction

Tossell et al. (2015) claims that there undoubtedly a difference in the way smartphones allow for continuous
access to the Internet so that users are able to use technology to solve their problems. In this sense, the fact
that the smartphone is ubiquitously available could feed the addiction to an individuals content of choice.
It is this ease of obtaining information within short span of time, if not immediate, that generates the
addictive behaviour for mobile phones.

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2 Gender Patterns of Mobile Phone Usage A Brief Review

2.1 Gender Differences in Mobile Phone Usage

Sociologists have come to a consensus that there exists an inter relationship among the society, culture
and technology. Research has shown that men are less addicted to the mobile phones as compared to women
who spend longer time in developed countries (Kunz Heim, 2003 & Mante/Piris, 2002 cited in Shouakt,
2015). Gender differences also appears in the use of the mobile internet. Studies conducted among male
and female college students have shown that boys are more prone to use the internet for entertainment and
recreational purposes unlike girls who uses the same mostly for communication (Shaw et al., 2002 cited in
Ganito, 2010).

2.2 Comparison in the Way of communicating

The use of language for communication differs between men and women (Baron et al., 2011). Statistic
results from research conducted in the United Kingdom and the United States, have shown that the content
and quality of emails and instant text messaging used in mobile phones by women are more social in nature
while that of men mostly conveys information (Eckert and McConnell-Ginet, 2003 cited in Baron et al.,
2011).

2.3 Use of mobile phone by Teenagers

The use of mobile phones by teenagers have shown that 59% of 12 to 17 years girls used text messages
many times during the day to chat or simply to say Hello while only 42% of the boys do so (Lenhart et
al., 2010 cited in Baron et al., 2011). Ganito (2010) states that boys and girls reproduce gender stereotypes
with respect to the use of the innovative and transgression uses of the mobile phone with boys more keen
in exploring the different tweaks of the phone while girls focusing more on the communication aspects.

2.4 Use of mobile phone by Women

Cardoso et al. (2007) has found that women uses the mobile phone for personal and emotional exchange.
As mentioned in the previous sections, women have a longer phone usage time than men. Cochrant et al.
(1993) have explained this by the fact that women has to shoulder the responsibility of maintaining the
family interaction and making the bond stronger thus they need longer communication time.

In developing and under developed countries, there is an ongoing process of feminization with respect to
the use of the mobile phone (Lemish et al., 2005 cited in Ganito, 2010). Studies in the South Korea revealed

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how women are using the camera features of the mobile phone for cultural production (Lee, 2005 cited in
Ganito, 2010). The mobile phone has provided women an empowerment tool for character building and to
become producers.

2.5 Gender Differences in Mobile Phone Production

Mobile phone companies have a tendency to design phones that corresponds to the male and female
attributes, as a marketing strategy. Such technological approach to men and women characteristics have
been described as Gender Scripts by Ellen van Oost. The most common feature displaying such
differences is the colour of the phone. Pink mobile phones has become a trait displaying the feminine nature
of the owner while grey is more of a masculine context (Puwar, 2004 cited in Ganito, 2010). The choice of
pink or rose colour mobile phones has become a social norm to which women conform to express their
right over technology (Peril, 2002 cited in Ganito, 2010).

2.6 Gender Differences in the use of social applications in mobile phones

As mentioned in the earlier sections, the use of mobile phone for communication differs for men and
women. The mobile online activity for both sexes also differs in every aspect of life. Data from
FinancesOnline.com reports that the reason behind using the social media for men are that 27% are involved
in business purposes while 13% are engaged in dating while the same figures for women are 22% and 7%
respectively. On social media sites, 43% of ladies like viewing entertainment or funny posts compared to
35% of men. The virtual social activity for women has been found to be higher than men with 54% of
females view photos and videos and sharing as compared to 39% of males (Lia, 2014).

Gender difference in use of mobile internet on social media apps

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 Source: Adapted from Zeendo, 2015

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