Gender & Interactive Media Environments:

A Case StudyHolly Kruse

Faculty of Communication

The University of Tulsa

The Study Focus in this data on gender in physical

spaces of interactive media: in public spaces and in domestic space using the internet.

Physical spaces that are gendered, although when participating in pari-mutuel betting in domestic space via internet, one has a presence but no identity. Different from online forums and virtual worlds.

The Study Data collected from August-October 2007 from 317 self-

selected respondents, recruited in online horse racing forums

Self- selected sample does not strictly resemble randomly selected sample; and more motivated

Interest in the survey topic means self-selected respondents often give higher quality data (Walsh, et al., 1992)

Sample assumed to be unrepresentative, but with correlative supporting data, some arguments can be made on the basis of survey results

Survey Data In line with Pew data? Men and women in US

equally likely to be online, but men more “engaged”: spend more time overall online and go online more often (Fallows, 2005).

My survey: a higher percentage of men than women who bet on horse racing reported using the internet to bet and to get handicapping information.

Survey Data A higher percentage of male respondents than

female respondents had traveled to an off-track facility to bet on racing.

But similar percentages of men and women reported having wagered on live racing at a racetrack.

Both women and men preferred to bet on-track on live races, but women preferred it more.

Survey Tables

Edited Survey Results (WWW Link)

Edited Survey Results (Document Link)

Men & Internet Betting: What They LikeExcerpted Comments: Convenience, being able to track my wagers easily. Information on demand. No human interaction. Absolute freedom from distraction while handicapping. Quiet environment, real time odds, streaming video. No tickets; no cash to handle or worry about Sitting at home or in the office, just enjoying myself with

the t.v on watching other things going on.

Women & Internet Betting: What They LikeExcerpted Comments: It was convenient. Quick and easy. Seems private, can do on my own time, can watch the

races while formulating bets. As a novice at betting, the account wagering service

allows me the time to figure out how to place my wager without pressure from others.

The ease of being able to place a bet on a horse you might follow.

Great viewing. No distractions. Ease to get to the bathroom. No crowds. Quick wagering.

Women & Internet Betting: What They Don’t LikeExcerpted Comments: Isolating. No horses in the flesh. Would be better live. A bit impersonal Don't have the experience of "being there."

Sounds etc not as real. Excitement is contagious, especially in person.

Men & Internet Betting: What They Don’t LikeExcerpted Comments: Don't receive money right away when victorious. Difficulty of funding account, paying for wagers, paying

for access to video, poor video feed. No on-track experience, isolation. Not able to cancel bet if there is a gate scratch or I

realize that I made a mistake. Nothing...love it. No problems. Prefer this method over all. My discipline is worse on the internet than with cash.

Men & OTBs: What They LikeExcerpted Comments: Variety of tracks and wagers. Comfort THE BAR Being w/ friends doing racing, multiple tv screens for

betting 2 -3 tracks. You get your money right away-you win a $100 you can

cash it right away. Talking with other gamblers Fellowship of other horseplayers Comfortable environment, nice friendly atmosphere with

fellow race fans

Women & OTBs: What They LikeExcerpted Comments: Access to many tracks The OTB is 15 min from my home and I have "pals" I

commisurate [sic] with I like having the ability to place a bet if a horse I am

following is running when my local track (Saratoga) is not in session, and to be able to watch the horse compete instead of waiting for an online replay.

The moments when individuals connect as in shared interest in success of a "group" favorite, i.e. Smarty's Triple Crown campaign.

Men & OTBs: What They Don’t LikeExcerpted Comments: Don't see the animals live Poor Audio and Video….Audio wasn’t turned up when

the race was off, lost video feeds. Rude tellers... Often incomplete racing information such

as weather and jockey changes. Small screens, poor camera coverage of the post

parade and races, not being able to hear the track announcer.

Downmarket atmosphere dominated by degenerates. also high food prices and lots of smoke.

Women & OTBs: What They Don’t LikeExcerpted Comments: No horses to see in the flesh and other customers not

"horse" people. I don't like it because I'm not around the horses

themselves. The smoke and the lack of windows. Very bad decor, usually located on wrong side of town. Some of the other patrons are rather scary. Some will try

to scam me. Smoke. And it's not the track. I miss the horses.

Conclusions Important to study gender and interactive media

use as a situated, embodied practices. Important to study the gendering of spaces and

technologies in some of their more common uses. Are gendered understandings reinscribed? Or subverted?

Especially as technology brings practices formerly of the public sphere into domestic space.