Cultural values and digital gap: Overview of behavioral patterns

Area of Science:

• Social Sciences
• Digitalization Studies
• Cultural Sociology

Background:

• The digital divide persists globally, with varying levels of internet penetration and technology adoption.
• Cultural values are increasingly recognized as a factor influencing societal development and individual behaviors.
• Understanding the interplay between cultural dimensions and digital access is crucial for equitable technology dissemination.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between variables explaining the digital divide and classifications based on the Inglehart-Welzel Cultural Map.
• To analyze how cultural values correlate with digital penetration, operating system preferences, device traffic, and mobile commerce.
• To determine if cultural classifications can predict differences in digital behavior and preferences.

Main Methods:

• Statistical analysis, including one-way ANOVA and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) procedures.
• Calculation of arithmetic means to minimize data effects.
• Spearman's correlation coefficients to assess relationships between cultural values and digitalization metrics.

Main Results:

• One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences in digitalization variables across cultural value groups.
• GLM indicated that cultural map classifications explain substantial variance in digitalization metrics.
• Spearman's correlations showed significant positive and negative associations between cultural values (Traditional/Secular) and various digitalization indicators.

Conclusions:

• Cultural values significantly influence digital habits, accessibility, and technology adoption.
• The Inglehart-Welzel Cultural Map provides a framework for understanding disparities in the digital divide.
• Future research should explore these cultural-digital links further for targeted interventions.