Mars and Venus on the Web

Men and women – described yet again as Martians and Venusians – have web sites that are significantly different in their design elements and writing style. 

When I saw the brief blurb announcing this research finding in CHE this morning, I wanted to know more.

A Welsh University, the University of Glamorgan, (or "Glam" as they call themselves) studied the web sites of 30 male and 30 female students.  Over 12 types of significantly different factors were found in visuals, language and navigation.  Hmmm.  This seems to relate to Glam's official tagline: "because great minds don't think alike."

Men prefer straight lines, few colors in the typeface and background and formal typography.  Women use less formal language and more abbreviations.  Most interesting to me, and consistent with my own impressions, men “are more likely to promote themselves and their abilities heavily.”

Unsurprisingly, when a selection of the web sites was shown to other students, women almost always preferred sites designed by women and men liked sites designed by men.

This finding became interesting when the researchers looked at the sites of 32 universities and colleges – a group chosen “because its target audience is almost equally balanced between the sexes.” Even though the sites were supposed to appeal to, and be used by, both sexes, the researchers “found that 94% of the sites displayed a masculine orientation with just 2% displaying a typically female bias.” Hmmm.

What to do with this finding?  Well, Glam has lost no time in trying to make money off the research.  The press release spends several paragraphs pointing out the potential business benefits for all those male advertising execs trying to appeal to us ladies.  The final line of their official press release:

“The University is now offering a consultancy service to businesses seeking advice on tailoring their websites to their business goals.”

Ladies, expect more GLAMorous sites peddling wares.

Comments

[Camicao]

Interesting! I wonder if, as a corollary to what you report, men are more comfortable placing their photo on department webpages. I know some women who are not comfortable with that.

[La Lecturess]

*Really* interesting post, AC; thanks! I'd been wondering why most of the academic blogs I read are by women (though I have lots of male friends, and most of the political blogs I read are by men), and I think this in part explains it. I've definitely noticed a slightly more self-promoting tone in some of the male-authored blogs I read.

[Dave]

Hmmm... given the imbalance in the male/female enrollment in many US universities, college web sites that appeal to males might be a sign of insightful marketing!

[Mary McKinney aka Academic Coach]

Given the imbalance of male/female tenured professors, I find your implication that we need to enroll more male college students somewhat unappealing.

However, Dave, since you are starting a positive psychology program and are excited about reading Seligman, I more than forgive you. I'm a huge fan. In fact, I took his 6th month, on-line "Authentic Happiness" training program for mental health professionals. Seligman is brilliant.