Gender and digital communication

Question 1

In relation to identity, what impact has the technological advances allowing more information to be passed around had?

Answer 1

People have a greater range of choices and information on different lifestyles and cultures

Question 2

What has globalisation meant for traditional sources of identity in the Uk?

Answer 2

social class has become less clear however ethnicity or gender may have become a more important factor

Question 3

What do online identities or avatars provided people with?

Answer 3

The opportunities to decide which kinds of identity and appearance that they may like to choose, unlike gender and class

Question 4

What do the kinds of identity that people want to take on reveal?

Answer 4

Important information about the individuals and attitudes in wider societies

Question 5

Why are identity processes complicated in online settings?

Answer 5

Because many identity cues are masked and selectively shared, withheld or misrepresented

Question 6

Ellison (2013) - identity

Answer 6

Argues that in an online context identity is constructed by the user and individuals can adopt multiple online personalities and often visibly traces online activities

Question 7

Van Dijck (2013) - identity

Answer 7

Argues that people have a vested interest in what Castells calls mass self communication because they subscribe to the view that disclosing information about their identity is closely associated with popularity

Question 8

Turkle (2011)

Answer 8

Internet based social networks free people of the burdens of their physical identities and allow them to present ‘better versions of themselves’

Question 9

What gender differences did Li and Kirkup (2007) find in digital social communication?

Answer 9

Men are more likely than women to use email or chat rooms. Men played more computer games on consoles than women