University Of Montreal And Concordia University Research Provides Evolutionary Perspective On Sex Differences In Web Site Preferences And Navigation
The skills used to surf the web were acquired during human evolution to facilitate communication and help accomplish certain tasks essential to human survival such as food gathering.
Certain studies indicate the e-communication environment mirrors social communication the less the message is ambiguous. Other studies show that Internet users scavenge the Web like the hunters and gatherers of an archaic society.
The Stenstrom brothers concluded that these studies overlooked an essential component of evolution theory: gender selection. "Differences between men and women, associated to reproductive functions, greatly influence our perceptions of the environment, our ways of communicating and even our way of moving around," says Philippe Stenstrom, noting if that's the case, there should exist differences in how men and women surf the web.
The researchers also examined existing literature on the fundamental cognitive differences between men and women: navigation, object location, spatial rotation, the perception of colour, form and movement, the propensity to engage in interactivity, and verbal fluency.
According to the theory of sexual selection, women are more inclined to use visual markers when they move around, and they pay more attention to colors and shapes, which are the qualities of gatherers. Men, on the other hand, use their "inner compass" and use moving objects as markers. These are the qualities of a hunter.
Stenstrom and Stenstrom believe these differences manifest themselves in terms of online navigation. For instance, women prefer scroll down menus (visual markers) to multiple windows opening up (which requires mental projection). They also prefer websites with sparkling colors while men are attracted to animated and flashing images.
"On the Internet, men are likely to use their inner compass, while women use objects from the environment," says Eric Stenstrom.
Study results were published in IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication.
University of Montreal
Universitatea din Montreal ºi Universitatea Concordia Cercetare Oferã Evolutionary Perspective pe sex diferenþe în ceea ce site-uri Web Preferinþe ºi navigare - University Of Montreal And Concordia University Research Provides Evolutionary Perspective On Sex Differences In Web Site Preferences And Navigation - articole medicale engleza - startsanatate