Young Girls’ Affective Responses to Access and Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Information-Poor Societies

Abstract

Purpose

To identify research work on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the context of young girls’ affective responses to access and use of ICT in developing countries.

Methodology/approach

A literature search covering the period from early 1990s to date in fields of information science, human–computer interaction, ICT, and educational technologies was performed using relevant databases and Google Scholar. Related literature in the context of specific theoretical frameworks was retrieved and analyzed.

Findings

Abundant research exists on ICT in developing countries. However, little empirical work was found on young girls’ affective responses to access and use of ICT. The gendered digital divide in relation to ICT showed differing perspectives on this issue. Generally, affective information behavior is much less observed in empirical research than the cognitive behavior, regardless of age, gender, or culture.

Practical implications

Young girls’ affective responses to access and use of ICT in these countries warrant additional research in this area of study. Findings from research on youth information behavior in Western countries may have little or no bearings on youth in developing countries. The study of young girls’ access and use of ICT in developing countries should account for cultural, socioeconomic, and institutional differences among countries and between societies or communities in a given developing country.

Originality/value

Minimal research exists on young girls’ affective responses to accessing and using ICT in developing countries. The literature review covered in this chapter is grounded in theoretical frameworks derived from varied disciplines, including the field of library and information science.

Citation

Bilal, D. and Jopeck, V. (2014), "Young Girls’ Affective Responses to Access and Use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Information-Poor Societies", New Directions in Children’s and Adolescents’ Information Behavior Research (Library and Information Science, Vol. 10), Emerald Group Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 107-133. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1876-056220140000010048