Sabina Lissitsa | Ariel University (original) (raw)

Papers by Sabina Lissitsa

השימוש ברשת האינטרנט התפשט ברחבי העולם. הרשת נחשבת לחלק בלתי נפרד מחיי היום-היום במגוון תחומים כ... more השימוש ברשת האינטרנט התפשט ברחבי העולם. הרשת נחשבת לחלק בלתי נפרד מחיי היום-היום במגוון תחומים כגון: חינוך, תעסוקה, מסחר, בריאות, פנאי וכו'. אחד היתרונות של משתמשי האינטרנט המיומנים טמון בכך שהם מתעדכנים מהר יותר ולפיכך סיכויי התקדמות שלהם בתחומים המעניינים אותם גבוהים יותר.
המחקר הנוכחי עוסק בפערים הדיגיטאליים בקרב קבוצות חברתיות שונות בחברה הישראלית. במחקר יבחנו עצם הנגישות למחשב ולאינטרנט, כמו גם דפוסי השימושים במחשב ובאינטרנט. מחקרים קודמים שעסקו בנושא בישראל התמקדו בעיקר בפערי הנגישות למחשב ולאינטרנט. אולם כדי לתאר ולהבין היטב את הפער הדיגיטאלי והשפעתו על אי-שוויון בחברה, קיים צורך בבחינת הבדלים לא רק בנגישות למחשב ולאינטרנט אלא גם בסוגי השימושים שנוקטים המשתמשים הגולשים.

The theory of planned behavior The HAPA model a b s t r a c t We examined the relationships betwe... more The theory of planned behavior The HAPA model a b s t r a c t We examined the relationships between physical activity and Internet use habits, using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) model as a framework. The purpose was to examine how Internet access, digital use, and time spent online correlate with the odds of engaging in three types of PA: strenuous, moderate, and muscle-strengthening Data relied on the Annual Social Survey conducted by Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics in 2010, with 6035 participants aged 20e65. Logistic regressions revealed that the odds of engaging versus not engaging in three types of physical activity were higher among Internet users compared to non-users. The odds of engaging versus not engaging in strenuous physical activity were higher among those who used the Internet for studying, social media, and downloading; in strengthening muscles were higher among those who used the Internet for seeking information and social media; and in moderate physical activity were higher among those who used the Internet for studying, compared to non-users. We suggest that the measured digital uses represent intention and action plans similar in their determinants to being physically active. Health care decision makers should increase availability of information on the Internet regarding a healthy lifestyle, concentrating on leisure-time physical activity habits.

Basing on the large scale annual social surveys in Israel, the current study uses Generational Co... more Basing on the large scale annual social surveys in Israel, the current study uses Generational Cohort Theory as a framework to examine the trends of internet adoption and online purchasing behavior among Generation X and Generation Y in the past decade. During the decade, the rate of internet access and online purchasing increased continuously in both generations, however internet users did not fully utilize the potential of online shopping. Our findings support the use of Generational Cohort Theory as a market segmentation tool: although the rate of internet access was higher in Generation Y, the percentage of those who bought electrical appliances, furniture or vacations online was higher in Generation X. Although Generation Y with its hedonism, extravagance and great connectivity is considered to be a more attractive target population for businesses, it is important to direct marketing efforts toward Generation X, which according to the literature buys more due to higher disposable income, and more free time.

By applying theories from different fields of study in the labor market context, we investigated ... more By applying theories from different fields of study in the labor market context, we investigated the effect of Internet use and digital uses on perceived job insecurity during the years 2003e2012. Our study is based on data from nationwide Annual Social Surveys of the CBS in Israel, drawing on a representative sample of 45,988 employed respondents. Our findings show that Internet use negatively correlated with job insecurity, but the effect of Internet use on the dependent variable decreased over this period. Internet use was found to be more effective for decreasing job insecurity among weaker social groups: Arabs and people from low socioeconomic strata. In other words, Internet use promotes weaker social groups and can serve as a channel for decreasing job insecurity. However, our findings also show that seeking information and social media use were positively correlated with perceived job insecurity, attributable to the negative-positive asymmetry forming the individual's sense of economic pessimism.

The present study examines the effect of studying in schools of different levels of religiosity o... more The present study examines the effect of studying in schools of different levels of religiosity on academic achievements of first-and second-generation immigrant students from English-, Spanish-, and French-speaking countries in Israel. The sample included 52,043 students who completed twelfth grade in 2011. The findings of the Israeli case study indicate that choice of school based on religiosity interferes with the educational achievements of immigrant students. In spite of high socioeconomic background of immigrant students, those who were enrolled in religious schools were less likely to earn matriculation certificates , as compared to those attending other types of schools.

Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the study aims to investigate factors that pr... more Based on the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), the study aims to investigate factors that predict students’ interest in pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields in tertiary education both in general and in relation to their
gender and socio-economic background. The results of the
analysis of survey responses of 2458 secondary public school
students in the fifth-largest Israeli city indicate that STEM learning
experience positively associates with students’ interest in pursuing STEM fields in tertiary education as opposed to non-STEM fields. Moreover, studying advanced science courses at the secondary school level decreases (but does not eliminate) the gender gap and eliminates the effect of family background on students’
interest in pursuing STEM fields in the future. Findings regarding outcome expectations and self-efficacy beliefs only partially support the SCCT model. Outcome expectations and self-efficacy beliefs positively correlate with students’ entering tertiary education but did not differentiate between their interests in the fields of study .

Since 1989 nearly one million immigrants from the FSU have arrived in Israel. Although well-educa... more Since 1989 nearly one million immigrants from the FSU have arrived in Israel. Although well-educated on average, most of these immigrants lacked economic means. The purpose of the present study is to examine whether the presence of immigrants in schools affected the educational achievements of their Israeli-born peers. We analyzed data pertaining to 8,288 Israeli tenth graders who attended 208 schools in 1994. Respondents' records were obtained from the Ministry of Education and the Bureau of the Census. Using hierarchical models we examined the effects of the proportion of immigrant students in a school and of their parents' education on the probability that Israeli-born students in the school would earn matriculation certificates. Results did not yield evidence of any negative spillover effects on the educational achievements of the native students. Moreover, the presence of many immigrant students with high educational backgrounds increased the likelihood of Israeli-born students earning matriculation certificates.

The digital divide is a social side effect of the information age. The technological means that e... more The digital divide is a social side effect of the information age. The technological means that enables people to band together also serves as a wall to separate and stratify populations that have access to it, and the skills required to acquire information through it, and those who do not. This study examines the "second level" digital divide, which characterizes the surfing patterns of those connected to the internet, between the Jewish majority and Arab minority in Israeli society. The goals of this paper were: to present the digital divide between these two groups; to examine the connection between digital uses and economic and symbolic capital and to characterize the link between the digital divide and social stratification. The study is based on the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics Annual Social Survey data, collected by means of face-to-face interviews conducted in 2011 among 5,872 interviewees aged 20-65 years old. Jews were found to have an advantage over Arabs...

Proceedings of MCIS 2010, 2010

The paper presents recent findings about the magnitude and determinants of the digital divide in ... more The paper presents recent findings about the magnitude and determinants of the digital divide in Israel, focusing on gaps in Internet usage in general, and in the usage of collaborative Internet applications (web2.0) in particular.

Israel is an immigrant country whose population is composed of waves of Jewish immigration and th... more Israel is an immigrant country whose population is composed of waves of Jewish immigration and those eligible for citizenship according to the Law of Return who came from many places around the world. This chapter refers to the waves of immigration that reached Israel beginning
in the late 1980s from the FSU and Ethiopia.

Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the ... more Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the first and second level digital divide between immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU), Ethiopia, Western countries, and Jewish veterans in the Israeli society as manifested by Internet access and patterns of use. Western immigrants manifested the highest rates of Internet use, followed by native Israelis and FSU immigrants. The rate of Internet use among Ethiopian immigrants was significantly lower compared to the other three groups. After controlling for socio-economic variables and especially Hebrew proficiency, the gaps in Internet use between veteran Israelis and immigrants from the FSU and Ethiopia became insignificant. As for the second-level digital divide, among Internet users, the three immigrant groups closed the gap between them and veteran Israelis in human capital-enhancing forms of Internet use and manifested an advantage, compared to veterans, in social capital-enhancing forms of Internet use. Our important conclusion is that, background variables being the same, language proficiency explains ethnic differences in Internet usage as a whole and, more specifically, in human capital-enhancing Internet use. These findings are important for policy makers dealing with immigrant absorption, as they suggest that expansion of the variety of Hebrew learning courses according to immigrant level and specialization, for instance by combining Hebrew learning with the acquisition of digital literacy, might have beneficial effects.

Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the ... more Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the "second level" digital divide between the Jewish majority and Arab minority in Israeli society. The goals of this paper were: to present the digital inequality between these two groups; to examine the connection between digital uses and economic capital and to characterize the link between the digital and social inequalities.
Jews were found to have an advantage over Arabs in terms of internet access and digital uses. Digital uses are an important resource that contributes to individuals' economic rewards, beyond the impact of classic socio-demographic factors such as education and language proficiency. Therefore, digital technology can serve as a mobility channel for the Arab minority group to attain social and economic equality with the Jewish majority.

The current study analyzes whether cross-cultural communication through online social platforms b... more The current study analyzes whether cross-cultural communication through online social
platforms between immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and different sectors of veteran Israelis reduces social distances and facilitates immigrants’ integration. The
research was conducted through an online survey of 296 Former Soviet Union immigrants who use social media sites in Hebrew. The findings show a positive impact of online contacts, only on social distances toward groups with very different cultures from Former Soviet Union immigrants: Arabs and ultra-orthodox Jews. Online contacts were found not to have a positive impact on social distances between immigrants and veteran Israelis from the dominant culture. In other words, online contact was not found to contribute to the social integration of Former Soviet Union immigrants, but
the social media were found to have the potential to narrow cleavages in Israeli society by reducing stigmas and alienation.

This study examines the digital divide between the Jewish majority and Arab minority in Israeli s... more This study examines the digital divide between the Jewish majority and Arab minority in Israeli society as manifested by Internet access and patterns of use. The goals of this paper
were to examine the digital divide between these two groups and to identify the factors that influence these gaps. The study is based on data from the Israel Central Bureau of
Statistics Annual Social Survey, collected in 2011 through face-to-face interviews of 5872 interviewees aged 20–65 years. Jews were found to have an advantage over Arabs
in terms of Internet access and in terms of the two types of uses: capital-enhancing and recreational. Our important conclusion is that, theoretically, with background variables
being the same, the first-level digital divide between Jews and Arabs can be considered closed; in contrast, the second-level digital divide remains even if human resources in both groups are the same. This gives reason to assume that beyond the impact of human resources, the second-level digital divide between Jews and Arabs originated from their
cultural background. Israeli Arabs are a unique minority indigenous group with two affinities – to Israeli modern society (because of citizenship) and to the Arab traditional
world (because of their religious and cultural roots). Closing digital gaps requires changes in basic social, economic, and cultural aspects of the Arab sector on the individual level, i.e., personal motivation, as well as on the community level, including collective sociocultural preferences.

The paper is part of a repeated cross-sectional study examining how groups in multi-ethnic states... more The paper is part of a repeated cross-sectional study examining how groups in multi-ethnic states adopt and use information and communication technologies, with focus on the magnitude and the determinants of the digital divide between Jews and Arabs in Israel as a case study. The study examines socio-economic and socio-demographic factors correlated to internet usage in general and usage of social media in particular, based on data collected between 2008 and 2010 by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics Annual Social Survey. The data was collected by means of face-to-face interviews conducted annually among 7500 interviewees aged 20 and above. The study demonstrates
the multi-dimensionality of the digital divide phenomena and shows how the digital divide does not diminish, yet, rather, transforms over time. As access differences between Jews and Arabs gradually diminish, a ‘second-level’ digital divide of social media usage actually widens.

Using data from large scale Annual Social Surveys of the CBS in Israel, the current study investi... more Using data from large scale Annual Social Surveys of the CBS in Israel, the current study investigated the
impact of internet adoption and internet uses on the life satisfaction of senior citizens (aged 65þ),
compared to those of working age (ages 20e64) during the decade of 2003e2012. The findings show
high-medium levels of life satisfaction e higher in younger age group, compared to the senior citizens.
Life satisfaction increased moderately over time among the younger age group, while among the older
population it remained stable during the decade under study. Our main conclusion is that internet
adoption and digital uses increase life satisfaction, after controlling for socio-demographic variables,
sociability and health condition. In addition, internet adoption and digital uses can constitute an
important channel for increasing life satisfaction among senior citizens and weaker social groups: people
from low economic strata and those suffering from health problems that interfere with day-to-day
functioning. Moreover, in contrast to other powerful factors impacting life satisfaction (income, religiosity,
sociability and health problems) this factor can be changed with relative ease, if digital literacy
becomes one of the important goals in the national agenda.

Computers and Human Behavior, 2015

We inquire about the correlations between contact and perceived social distance: Whether in line ... more We inquire about the correlations between contact and perceived social distance: Whether in line with the contact theory, online as well as offline contacts that Israeli Jews have with Arabs affect their perceived social distances from Arabs, or rather whether Israeli Jews who feel closer to Arabs maintain
more offline and online contacts with Arabs, according to the social homophily approach.
We found that social distance, online contact and offline contact were mutually supportive, whereas the background variables included in the regression analysis (age, gender, religiosity, place of residence, education and income) had no effect on either of them. While the three are mutually supportive,
perceived social distance and offline contacts had greater explanatory value than online contacts.

International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2011

Proceedings of MCIS 2010, 2010

Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the ... more Using data from a large scale Annual Social Survey of the CBS in Israel, this study examines the "second level" digital divide between the Jewish majority and Arab minority in Israeli society. The goals of this paper were: to present the digital inequality between these two groups; to examine the connection between digital uses and economic capital and to characterize the link between the digital and social inequalities.
Jews were found to have an advantage over Arabs in terms of internet access and digital uses. Digital uses are an important resource that contributes to individuals' economic rewards, beyond the impact of classic socio-demographic factors such as education and language proficiency. Therefore, digital technology can serve as a mobility channel for the Arab minority group to attain social and economic equality with the Jewish majority.

Computers and Human Behavior, 2015

International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 2011