If this is true, which I have no idea if it is, it would suggest one possible explanation. Posting on listservs is largely a form of slacking. If men slack more, it would not be surprising if they post more on listservs. The opportunity cost of women's time may be higher.
Men may have a higher discount rate.
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Haven't read the NYT Magazine article you cited but I can already think of one, very large, problem with the assertion that men slack, therefore they chat away on listservs more than women.
A study whose conclusions are based upon the activities of a bunch of lazy guys in their late teens and early 20s has less than zero to do with my life and, I'd wager, the lives of most of the men who participate here (can't speak for other lists).
Also, it can be argued that blogging too is a form of slacking. There are quite a few women bloggers, typing away around the globe. How should we categorize them?
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Many years ago, I had a conversation with a fellow who insisted that men got into robotics because they couldn't bear children. He was even working on a study of some sort to 'prove' this hypothesis.
When I pointed out that I'd met quite a few female roboticists during a visit to MIT he didn't know what to say.
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I have no idea why there are more men than women on lists. It's an important question and I'd like to dig deeper. The lazy boy theory however, doesn't strike me as a serious contender.
.d.
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