Survey Shows 2/5 Young Japanese Women Talk to Their PCs

Two in five Japanese women in their 20s or 30s talk to their personal computer, according to a survey by mail forwarding company iShare Inc. and toymaker Sega Toys Co.


Young women are also likely to talk to themselves during times of high stress, or when they do something wrong, the survey reckons. Other computer-related habits include decorating their computers or work areas with stuffed toys, and in a few cases giving their computers names.

Of the 410 women in their 20s or 30s surveyed, 40.5 percent said that they talk to their computer. Among the reasons given for conversing with the machines were: "I chat incessantly to my computer when I'm working," from one woman, while another said, "I'll get onto a ridiculous site and say something like 'That was stupid' out aloud." Freezes in computers were a frequent trigger for some women to talk to them.

Talking to oneself at regular times was also common, with 59.2 percent of those surveyed saying that they did it. Stress was a frequent trigger for women to start talking to themselves, such as when caught driving behind a slow driver or upon making a mistake. Some women even said they started talking to themselves at times for no particular reason.
Women who talked to themselves commonly felt "lonely" or "disgusted with themselves," according to the probe.

Another finding was that 10.2 percent of women gave their computer a nickname, with common ones including "Mac-kun" and "Pasoko", but more esoteric monikers including "Pudding" or "Princess".

Stuffed toys were popular decorations for computers and work areas, with 42.9 percent of women putting them up. Of these women, 63.8 percent said they did so because the toys made them feel better.

Sega Toys and iShare conducted the survey over the Internet during May. The survey was carried out to coincide with the launch of Sega Toys' "Kokechii," a doll resembling traditional Japanese kokeshi dolls, but which talks to itself without being prompted.

Source: mainichi