Gender and Age Effects on Information-Seeking after 9/11

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between gender, age and information-seeking behavior after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, drawing on uncertainty reduction and placing the study in the framework of a crisis event. Surveys were collected from 1329 respondents from three different geographic regions in the United States between two and five days after the terrorist attacks. Results indicated that females regarded television and radio as more useful than males, while males reported the Internet as a more useful source of information. Differences for age were also found for use of print media and the Internet. These findings are discussed, along with limitations and suggestions for future research.