The Internet and Social Relationships
Facebook, MySpace, Online: Research Refutes Cyber Socializing Fears
Apr 23, 2009
After two decades of psycho-social research on the impact of computer mediated communications (CMC) and social network sites on relationships, a summary reveals that internet use does not necessarily lead to negative, anti-social behavior.
On the contrary, cyber or online social networking may increase a person's social ease, the breadth and depth of off-line relationships, and their overall "social capital" – the resources accumulated through the relationships with people.
Early Fears About Internet and Social Relationships Contradicted
In a 2003 research review titled, The Internet and Social Life, (Bargh, John & McKenna, Katelyn, The Annual Review of Psychology, July 2003), Bargh and McKenna note that some scholars feel the internet provides a positive venue for social interaction that allows individuals and groups to connect in ways they would not otherwise.
Others however, feel the internet creates a sterile and negative form of social exchange and communication which in turn could lead to the crumbling of community and society. Early research by Kraut (1998) and Nie & Ebring (2000, Nie 2001) found that internet usage leads to an increase in depression, loneliness, and neglect of existing close relationships.
Yet, nearly all subsequent research, including a follow-up by Kraut (2002), led to opposite conclusions. In his later research, Kraut found that study participants who used the internet were more likely to have an increase in:
- The size of their local and distant social circles
- Their face-to-face interaction with friends and family
- Community activity involvement
- Trust in people
Not surprisingly, these positive results were more likely among extroverts than introverts.
Internet, FaceBook, MySpace, Social Networking Sites and Relationships
Most psychological and human-computer interaction research focuses on two key differences between the internet and the other communication forms that evolved throughout history (telegraph, telephone, radio, television).
First, internet users are relatively anonymous. Second, CMC is not face-to-face and therefore lacks the non-verbal features of communication such as tone of voice, facial expressions and other interpersonal features such as physical attractiveness. Much of the research in the CMC field explored how these two missing features affect social influence and interaction.
The Effect of Internet on Existing Relationships
Many national studies found that internet users were not less likely to visit or call friends and that they actually have larger social networks (DiMaggio et. al. 2001).
Howard, et al (2001) concluded from their large random-sample study, "The internet allows people to stay in touch with family and friends, and, in many cases, extend their social networks. These survey results suggest that on-line tools are more likely to extend social contact than detract from it."
While Nie suggested in 2001 that people who spend more than the average of 10 hours a week on the internet would socialize substantially less with family, friends and neighbors, in Nie and Ebring's 2000 study the results showed that heavy internet users were actually watching less television and reading newspapers, not socializing less often.
The Internet's Effect on Forming New Relationships
Parks & Floyd (1995) found that on-line relationships were similar to those created face-to-face in terms of their breadth, depth and quality. McKenna (2002) found that a large number of respondents reported forming a close relationship with someone they had first met on the internet.
More than 50% of these participants had moved from an internet relationship to a "real life" one. Nearly a quarter became engaged, married or lived together.
McKenna et al (2002) and Bargh et al (2002) found that people who met on the internet liked each other more than those who met face-to-face first, even when, unbeknownst to the participants, it was the same partner both times.
The studies revealed:
- People were better able to express their "true selves" (aspects they felt were important but they weren't able to present in public), and;
- When internet partners liked each other, they tended to (more than the face-to-face group) to project qualities of their ideal friends on each other.
Conclusions & Implications of Internet and Online Social Networking Research
The relative anonymity of being on-line promotes self-expression. In addition, the relative absence of non-verbal cues (e.g. attractiveness) and the ability to link with others with similar interests, values and beliefs facilitates the formation of relationships based on deeper connections such as shared values and beliefs.
While most adults understand the implications of sharing personal information or pictures through online media, many teens do not. A disturbing trend called "sexting," sending or receiving sexually explicit pictures, suggests that teens, while socially active online, are not aware of the potential negative repercussions of sharing too much intimate detail of any kind, about themselves.
Yet despite the risks of going public with private information or pictures, the internet and social networking sites do not foster anti-social behavior in most users. Most computer mediated communication research indicates a positive relationship between the internet and forming or maintaining social relationships. The internet appears to complement rather than detract from forming and maintaining relationships.
Related Reading
Readers may also enjoy reading a commentary that discusses how "friending" isn't the same as friendship
Sources:
- Bargh JA, 2002. McKenna KYA, Fitzsimons GM. 2002. "Can you see the real me? Activation and expression of the 'true self' on the Internet." Journal of Social Issues.
- DiMaggio P, Hargittai E, Neuman WR, Robinson JP. 2001. "Social Implications of the internet." Annual Review of Sociology.
- Howard PEN, Rainie L., Jones S. 2001. "Days and nights on the Internet." American Behavioral Science.
- Kraut R, Patterson M, Lundmark V, Kiesler S, Mucopadhyay T, et al. 1998. "Internet paradox: a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being." American Pyschology.
- Kraut R, Kiesler S, Boneva B, Cummings J, Helgeson V, et al. 2002. "Internet paradox re-visited." Journal of Social Issues.
- McKenna, KYA, Gree AS, Gleason MJ. 2002. "Relationship formation on the Internet: What's the big attraction?" Journal of Social Issues.
- Nie NH, Erbring L. 2000. "Internet and Society:A Preliminary Report. Stanford Institute of Quantitative Study Soc.
- Nie, NH. 2001."Sociability, interpersonal relations, and the Internet: reconciling conflicting findings." American Behavioral Science.
- Parks MR, Floyd K. 1995. "Making friends in cyberspace." Journal of Communication.
Additional Resource:
Twitter Types: Who Tweets & Why, Hidden Dangers
 |
