Reading for entertainment or information reception? Gender differences in reading preferences and their impact on text-type-specific reading competences in adult readers

This study aims at exploring gender differences in text-type-specific reading competences via readers’ gender-specific reading preferences. Women were expected to read more often for the sake of entertainment (entertainment preference), whereas men were expected to read more often to gain informatio...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of psychology of education 2021-06, Vol.36 (2), p.339-357
Main Authors: Thums, Kathrin, Artelt, Cordula, Wolter, Ilka
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescents
Adults
Children & youth
Education
Educational Psychology
Fiction
Foreign Countries
Gender Differences
Individualized Instruction
Information Seeking
International Assessment
Leisure Time
Literacy
Nonfiction
Pedagogic Psychology
Preferences
Reading comprehension
Reading Habits
Reading Skills
Recreational Reading
Teenagers
Women
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Summary:This study aims at exploring gender differences in text-type-specific reading competences via readers’ gender-specific reading preferences. Women were expected to read more often for the sake of entertainment (entertainment preference), whereas men were expected to read more often to gain information (information preference). We further assumed that individuals who read for entertainment would have higher reading competence in fictional literary texts compared with non-fictional informational texts, and vice versa for individuals who read to gain information. The analysis was based on a sample of 830 adults between 19 and 71 years (M = 31.04; SD = 12.53) from a pilot study of the German National Educational Panel Study (NEPS). A structural equation model confirmed that women and men show different reading preferences during leisure time. The preference to read for entertainment was predictive for reading competence in literary texts; however, the preference to read for information had positive effects on reading competence in both informational and literary texts.
ISSN:0256-2928
1878-5174
DOI:10.1007/s10212-020-00486-1