Facebook Use By Gender

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Have you ever wondered about the way that men and women use Facebook and how those ways differ from each other. The only thing I've ever noticed is that girls seem more likely post their relationship status for the world to see. Beyond that, I never gave it too much thought before today. Well Michael A. Stefanone, of the University of Buffalo, has not only given it some thought but has actually conducted a bit of research on the subject.

In his research, Mr. Stefanone found that girls are more apt to link their self-worth and esteem with their physical appearance. Girls that feel like they look beautiful as a result feel better about themselves in general. In his findings after studying and surveying over three hundred participants, Stefanone tries to make the connection between a girls' perceived self worth and their Facebook usage.

The college age women that completed the survey all had to share the main factors that determined their self-esteem. The two grouping were public contingencies and private contingencies. Public contingencies consist of elements like approval from others and appearance. Private ...
... contingencies centered on personal virtue and family love. The study found that most of the participants based their self esteem and worth on public contingencies.

Not surprisingly, the women that based their worth on public contingencies spent more time online than those that relied on private contingencies to evaluate their self-esteem. Facebook usage time was taken into account. Stefanone is suggesting that girls update and add photos of themselves more than males because they use this tool to feel better about themselves.

Although I can't vouch for the research methods and the survey sample isn't that large, I can definitely understand why this researcher would make that suggestion. If women are posting more pictures on Facebook across the board, you have to wonder why. Why are women the most active photo updaters on this social networking site? Is it because they just love having their picture taken? Are they more active or photogenic than men? I don't think so.

I do believe that this society is very superficially focused. It is all about how you look, where you live, what kind of car you drive and how big your bank account is. In this type of society, women are definitely held to a higher standard than men. A middle age bachelor is seen as dashing and experienced while a middle age bachelorette is seen as an old maid. Women that do look great at that age are categorized as MILFs and Cougars.

In this celebrity driven world, women often aim to look great, not for themselves but to please others. I think a lot of women use the Facebook platform to display their physical features because they think this is expected of them. While these images may draw attention, it may not always be from the best place. I could be wrong however. It could simply be that men just aren't as outgoing as women and end up shying away from the camera? Leave a comment and tell me what you think.