Gender and Media Preferences in Adulthood

Abstract

In addition to reflecting gender‐targeted media content, men's and women's media habits may reflect a host of complex motivations and consequences, in step with larger cultural norms regarding gender roles. For example, men's greater interest in violent and/or sexually explicit media content may reflect gendered socialization practices that inhibit women from seeking out such traditionally male‐dominated genres, as well as sexist or sexually objectifying content that may decrease women's interest in such genres. In some domains, such as social media use, gender differences are not as notable, although women are more likely to use platforms such as Facebook, and engage in photo‐based behavior than men. Work on intersectional identities (intersections between gender and race, gender and sexuality, etc.) and media use focuses on navigation of stereotypic content, although some research has documented the benefit of new media (Internet and user‐generated content) for sexual and gender minorities in particular.