The research addresses the problem of gendered digital inequalities, by focusing on sexist (self)stereotypes about ICTs use.
As European and national studies demonstrate, gender is a pivotal factor influencing digital inequalities and significantly varies according to age. The persistence of ICTs-related (self)sexist stereotypes -and, hence, the underlying power relations and normative patterns of social communication- shape the way people approach to ICTs. When ICTs use is conceived as a question of performance, women tend to be (self)stereotyped as unfitting and incompetent users. Conversely, when ICTs use are considered in terms of devices' affordances, women tend to be (self)stereotyped as "social groomers", "net-workers".
In such a scenario, the research explorative main goal is to unveil whether and, eventually, which sexist (self)stereotypes are adopted when both young and older people speak about ICTs, and whether and how their narrative and sense giving strategies differ.
A qualitative methodological design will be adopted to fulfill these research objectives. More specifically, we will conduct at least three focus groups involving (together and separately) young and older users.
Results are expected to increase the state of the art about the topic by providing a more exhaustive map of existing stereotypes, also adopting an inter-generational perspective. On the other hand, through a tailor-made communication and dissemination strategy, results may also pin some useful guidelines for stakeholders and institutions.
Results are expected to increase the state of the art about gendered digital inequalities, sexist (self)stereotypes and ICTs-related ones, by providing a more exhaustive map of the existing ICTs-related sexist (self)stereotypes among Italians with a specific attention to how age can influence such stigmatizing portraits.
Indeed, to-date studies have devoted attention to measure the widespread of gendered digital inequalities in Italy, Europe or USA by highlighting how they vary according to age (Kennedy et al. 2003; ISTAT, 2011, 2017, 2018; Iclaves, 2018 among others). Moreover, literature has identified the main ICTs-related (self)stereotypes stigmatizing women as not technologically endowed or as "net-workers"/"social groomers" (Kennedy et al., 2003; Lemish & Cohen, 2005; Fallows, 2005; López-Sáez et al., 2011; Sáinz & Eccles, 2012; Comunello et al., 2017). Such prejudices reflect the main sexist (self)stereotypes regarding women's traits and roles and vary according to the individuals' representation of technology -i.e., "performance vs affordances" (Ungerson, 1983; Wood, 1994; Hofstede, 2001; Lewis, 2006; López-Sáez et al., 2008). Nevertheless, devices, platforms, and ICTs usages change alongside technological evolution, so that they may give way to unedited stereotypes, other than trite ones.
Therefore, research results may be useful for confirming the existence of known ICTs-related sexist prejudices and/or unveiling any new one. Moreover, such new eventual prejudices may indicate new links between ICTs representation and related sexist (self)stereotypes, other than performance and affordances. Moreover, results may account for whether and how age-based differences in gendered digital inequalities reflect age-based differences in sexist ICTs-related (self)stereotypes.
Indeed, the focus group outline will be designed by considering users' performances and devices' affordances as well as revelatory cases of public debates about ICTs-related stereotypical portraits of women and men, thus providing participants with everyday plugged-in backdrops that will stimulate their narrative and sense giving strategies. Moreover, while gender studies use to focus on risk factors enhancing aptitude to sexism, a particular attention will be given to the protective factors that do reduce or prevent the aptitude to sexism that may arise during the discussion. Such an approach may better shape constructive intervention programs for which we will pin some useful guidelines. Finally, an intergenerational perspective will orient the conduction of focus groups through questions aimed at stimulating opinions and representations about how women of the same age or older are supposed to use ICTs, in order to control whether and how ICTs-related sexism vary between young and older users.
Finally, a tailor-made communication and dissemination strategy will help to enrich the state of the art and, more in general, the public debate about the specific topic of the ICTs-related sexism and the wider problem of gendered digital inequalities. In fact, research outputs will be shared both with lay and academic public at local, national and international level, by being vigilant for gender bias, stereotypical language or representations. Namely, we will organize a final return meeting with focus groups' participants, scholars, and stakeholders -e.g., schools, universities, schools, women's NGOs or social organizations, representatives of public institutions. Such a meeting may become a space where best practices oriented to reverse ICTs-related sexist stereotypes and inequalities can be identified and where (national and international) experts can debate on the results and scientific advances. Moreover, at least two papers will be submitted to relevant national and international conferences as well as to high-impact national and international journals.
(NOT AFOREMENTIONED) REFERENCES
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Iclaves (2018). Women in the Digital Age: final report. European Union: Iclaves, Universitat Oberta de Catalunya
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Istat (2017). Cittadini, Imprese e ICTs. Anno 2017. Rome: Istituto Nazionale di Statistica
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Wood, J.T. (1994). Who cares? Women, care, and culture. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press