The use of online bulletin boards by females in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries

This paper reports the outcomes of a study that investigated the responses of 380 females from the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries (GCCCs) to a questionnaire asking them to give their reasons for using online bulletin boards (OBBs). The study also examined the influence of OBBs on these females’ attitudes to equal gender roles in social and familial settings. Principal components analysis indicated four factors among their reasons: manipulation, belonging, reciprocal exchange/expression, and autonomy. Regression tests revealed that nationality and the reciprocal exchange/expression reason were positively correlated with the endorsement of equal social gender roles, while manipulation and belonging reasons were negatively correlated with it. In addition, belonging and autonomy were negatively correlated with predicted endorsing equal familial gender roles. The study highlights the fact that, because females used the OBBs for reinforcement, attitudes are unlikely to be changed by their use. Finally, the paper concludes by inviting researchers to probe the influence of OBBs, drawing a distinction between affective and cognitive needs, as they may play different roles in predicting the impacts of OBBs.