Information technology in Chile: How perceptions and use are related to age, gender, and social class

A survey was conducted in two cities in Chile to determine the perceptions and use of information technology (IT) by people of different ages and genders, and from different social classes. The survey results show that the main variable influencing IT use and perception is social class: the higher a user's social class, the more positive their perception of IT and the more frequent their use. In contrast, age is generally inversely correlated to the perception and use of IT. In the case of gender, the data indicates that it has the least importance when explaining differences in use and perception of IT. Finally, the study found a “social halo effect” regarding people's perception of IT usefulness. In general, individuals perceive IT to be more useful for society at large than it is useful for them.