E-Mail Use Patterns in the United States

This study analyzes data to determine who uses e-mail more in the United States through bivariate correlation and multiple linear regression. The results show that demographic variables such as age and region, socio-economic status variables such as education and household income, and the variable of having enough time to get the job done, play significant roles in predicting the patterns of e-mail use. Those with higher levels of education, or household income, or who live in the South, are more likely to use e-mail for more hours each week. The older the respondents are, the less likely they are to use e-mail. Gender and marital status make no difference. Few studies have explored the patterns of e-mail in terms of specific hours of e-mail use. These findings will help librarians and e-mail providers to offer better tools and services.