Socio-demographic gaps in mobile use, causes, and consequences: a multi-group analysis of the mobile divide model

Abstract

This study examines mobile divide by gender, age, social economic status (SES), and social capital using a conceptual model of mobile divide. This model is composed of eight components of mobile divide which are divided into the following three groups: two antecedents of mobile use including innovativeness and competence, two types of actual mobile use (talk and non-talk), and consequences of mobile use including life management, resource use, network management, and personal identity display. Through a survey of 400 mobile users in Korea, our study verified the validity of the proposed model. In addition, this model enables us to examine mobile divide in two different approaches – at the level of each component and in the relations among the components. Mobile divides by gender, age, SES, and social capital existed at the level of various components. Age and SES even showed significant mobile divides in the relations between mobile uses and consequence-related components. Implications of the results in our study along with the two types of approaches to mobile divide are discussed.

Keywords:

• digital divide
• mobile technology
• communication studies

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea Grant funded by Korean Government (NRF-2013S1A3A2054988).

Notes on contributors

Jong Hyuk Lee (Ph.D., Syracuse University) is an associate Professor at Department of Journalism and Communication, Kyung Hee University. His research interests focus on journalism, political communication, and media sociology. [email: [email protected]]

Junghyun Kim (Ph.D., Seoul National University) is a Professor at Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Chung-Ang University. Her research interests focus on advertising and media effect. [email: [email protected]]