Building Theoretical Insights to Explain Differences in Remote Control Use between Males and Females: A Meta-analysis

Abstract

Studies suggest women and men not only view television differently, but also may obtain different gratifications from watching TV. The present paper includes data taken from a meta-analysis and primary research which seeks to uncover the effects of gender and remote control use. The meta-analysis combines data from 15 studies to definitively document differences between male and female viewing behaviors. The results of the meta-analysis show that gender differences in remote control use and gratifications obtained are consistent across studies and that males change channels significantly more than females. Why do men use the remote control more frequently than women ? Study two was conducted to assess the effects of a psychological variable, sensation seeking, on remote control use. The predictions were that individuals (namely men) with a high need in sensation seeking would use the remote control device more than women would. The implications of these results are discussed, as are the future directions of television viewing research.