Gender Stereotypes in technology use: a content analysis of Mr. Robot

GENDER STEREOTYPES IN TECHNOLOGY USE: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF Mr. ROBOT ABSTRACT The present research further develops the existing body of knowledge on the representation of gender stereotypes in the usage of technology in media. Gender and technology use are primarily studied in advertising. However, television fictions forms the largest share of audience’s media diets. Therefore, the current study analysed how gender stereotypes with regard to technology are portrayed on television, focusing on the cyber-TV drama Mr. Robot. This program is of interest as its main theme is technology and in particular hacker culture. This study tests the hypotheses gathered from previous research about gender stereotypes in the usage of technology. The quantitative content analysis of Mr. Robot showed that gender stereotypes in relation to the usage of communicational technological devices such as computer, tablets and mobile phones are present. Exploring these results through the lenses of the social role theory (Eagly, 1987) led to the conclusion that, when it comes to using communicational technological devices, men and women are represented quite different. Male characters are portrayed to able to use technology with high skills, for instance hacking, whereas female characters are represented in general as less capable of using advanced CTDs and only a small minority of them are able to carry out difficult tasks with technology. Overall, in this contemporary television drama, men are represented as tech savvy compared to women, suggesting a male-dominated view of the usage of technology.