Mobile usage among hostlers and dayscholars: Gender differentials

Pages: 173-178
Harleen Kaur and Seema Sharma (Department of Human Development, College of Home Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana)

The present study was conducted to assess the gender differences regarding mobile usage among hostlers and dayscholar adolescents. The study was comprised of 200 adolescents (100 hostlers and 100 dayscholars) belonging to middle socio-economic status in 17-18 years of age range, randomly selected from two colleges of Punjab Agricultural University of Ludhiana city. Further the sample was equally distributed over the two sexes (50 boys and 50 girls) from hostlers and dayscholars. Socio- Economic Status Scale by Meenakshi (2010) was used to determine the socio-economic status of adolescents. A self structured Mobile Usage Questionnaire was used to assess the mobile usage among adolescents. Results revealed that significantly higher percentage of hostler male adolescents used mobile phone more for surfing internet, different websites and e-mailing features as compared to females whereas dayscholar females used mobile phone more for text messaging as compared to males who used mobile phone mainly for internet and different websites. As per the duration of mobile usage is concerned, male hostlers spent significantly more time on mobile phone for chatting and different websites followed by pass time, text messaging, assignments, download music, films and pictures, e-mailing and general awareness while dayscholar males spent more time on mobile phone for downloading music, films and pictures and assignment purpose as compared to females.