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The Medium Makes a Difference

Gender Similarities and Differences in Instant Messaging

University of Connecticut, Storrs, annie.fox{at}uconn.edu.

Danuta Bukatko

College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Mark Hallahan

College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, MA

Mary Crawford

University of Connecticut, Storrs

This study examines gender differences in instant messaging (IM). Participants recorded their IM conversations for 3 weeks and then submitted a sample of six conversations, three with male and three with female partners. The conversations were analyzed for a number of variables often found to show gender differences. In many ways, messages were similar regardless of the gender of the sender or the recipient. However, women sent messages that were more expressive than those sent by men.

Key Words: gender di ferences • instant messaging • computer-mediated communication

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Journal of Language and Social Psychology, Vol. 26, No. 4, 389-397 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0261927X07306982


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