Digital Divide, Socio-Economic Outcomes and Subjective Well-Being in Higher Education Institutions of Pakistan

Atta Ur Rahman Atta Ur Rahman,Shandana Shandana,Adnan Khan,Laila Taskeen Qazi

doi:10.34260/jaebs.534

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between internet usage, socio-economic outcomes, and subjective well-being. Social outcomes are measured in the form of formal and informal networks and economic outcomes are measured through education, employment, and financial status. Subjective well-being is defined as assessment of one’s own life satisfaction. The cross-sectional study is conducted through a survey. The data was collected through a self-designed questionnaire from 500 university graduates in different region of Pakistan. The Cox regression is used to investigate the relationship among the variables. In Cox regression the gender, education, major, subjective wellbeing (SWB), positive affect (PA), negative affect (NA) are significantly affecting the duration of internet usage. Internet usage increases with age, likewise internet usage is found more in women and married individuals than men and unmarried individuals. Economic outcomes are less for internet users than the non-users similarly social outcomes are lower for users than the nonusers. Similarly, internet usage is found to decrease with increase in the level of education. This shows how online activities affect the economic and social activities of the individuals and in turn affect their subjective well-being.

Highlights

Keywords Digital divide, Subjective wellbeing, SocioEconomics, Cox regressionJEL Classification Z1, Z13, A14Online communication has widely become common among the people as more attention is paid to the influences of online communication to people’s life like information sharing, social adaption, interpersonal trust and subjective well-being
The results show self-reported pleasure being the strongest predictor of internet usage and internet “Addicts” spend three times more hours on internet than the “non-addicts” on web, email, games and online communication and socializing applications such as BBS which is used in Taiwanese institutes
This research investigates the impact of age, gender, education, employment and marital status, its relation to social and economic outcome and subjective well-being on internet usage

Summary

Introduction

Keywords Digital divide, Subjective wellbeing, SocioEconomics, Cox regressionJEL Classification Z1, Z13, A14Online communication has widely become common among the people as more attention is paid to the influences of online communication to people’s life like information sharing, social adaption, interpersonal trust and subjective well-being. Keywords Digital divide, Subjective wellbeing, SocioEconomics, Cox regression. Online communication has widely become common among the people as more attention is paid to the influences of online communication to people’s life like information sharing, social adaption, interpersonal trust and subjective well-being. Subjective well-being is gaining popularity in the recent years, and it has become a recognized subject matter in social sciences including economics. Atta ur Rahman, Shandana, Laila Taskeen Qazi, and Adnan Khan emerging technologies, online communication such as instant messaging and social networking sites have obvious impact on subjective well-being of users. The skills and particular use of internet results in positive outcomes inadequate use and skills can lead to limiting success

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Discussion

Conclusion