ABSTRACT
Some years ago, a male news-magazine anchor joked about an observed cultural phenomenon-the seemingly natural affinity men have for remote-control devices. The segment ended when the female cohost noted that men’s liking for controlling viewing choices with a “zapper” made perfect sense, especially in light of their desire to control situations and maintain some distance from their activities. Actually, researchers have studied how women and men watch television and found that men are likely to adopt an instrumental viewing style, planning their viewing methodically, using it as a means of realizing their goals. In contrast, women adopt a more relationship-oriented approach to viewing, watching shows to make interpersonal connections, a pattern that repeats itself in other media as well.1
