Sociological Explanation of the Relationship between Gender and Reading among Ahvaz Citizens

This study aimed to investigate the effect of gender on the amount and type of reading. This study was descriptive. The research population consisted of people over 15 years of age in Ahvaz city. A multistage random sampling technique was used, and the data were collected using a questionnaire. The independent t-test and contingency table were used to analyze the data. The results indicated that gender could affect reading, and women had more reading time than men. Also, there were differences in reading interests based on gender. Women were more likely than men to read popular books. Still, men were more elitist and were more likely to read non-fiction books than popular works. Men were more likely to read intellectual and cultural magazines, while women tended to read more popular ones. Besides, women and men had different reading interests in different sections of the newspapers. The deep familiarity of readers with discovering the level and type of reading and defining a developmental plan for reading can provide a valuable guide to policy-making for promoting reading by trusted institutions.