University of Southern California’s Annenberg Center for the Digital Future recently released a study of of online relationships. Here are some highlights:
Ars Technica: We love our Internet friends, really.
Online friends are just as important to people as their offline friends, according to the results of a recent survey.
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The survey included 2,000 households in the US and defined an online community as “a group that shares thoughts or ideas, or works on common projects, through electronic communication only.” Perhaps unsurprisingly, well over half of those participating in online communities reported doing so at least once a day. 70.4 percent “sometimes or always” interact with other members while logged in.
The report also found that as Internet users increasingly use the web to socialize, they also translate those online social connections to real-life activities. 20.3 percent of those who participate in online communities also participate in offline activities related to the online community at least once a year… Similarly, 40 percent of the respondents reported being more involved in social activism since they began to participate in online communities, with two thirds of those involved with social causes saying that they are now involved in activities because of the Internet.
What might be a surprise, though, is that all of this online interaction is apparently not detracting from interaction with close friends and family offline. While 37.7 percent of respondents said that the Internet helps them communicate more with family and friends, “almost all” users reported that increased Internet interaction has no effect on the amount of time spent with those people in real life.
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Most importantly, the report says that 43 percent of those who participate in online communities feel “as strongly” about their online buddies as those offline. What this shows is that—due to the proliferation of chat rooms, blogs, sites like MySpace, forums, games, virtual worlds, and other communities online—Internet users are reaching out to more people, not less, as technology critics have feared.
Take that, Dreyfus.
Nkone Adu Dapaah | 02-Dec-06 at 1:00 am | Permalink
This article is very true about the internet use for socializing. there are some people who are introverts or feel shy to talk to others physically. so they will rather go on the internet where there are also other people who wants to talk.
Facebook, my space and the rest are examples. i in particular have so much friends on my space who i talk to whenever i go online but i don’t know them or even seen them before.
it does take up time but it doesn’t destroy your interaction with real families and friends. i go to internet and chat when i am bored and don’t have anything better to do.
Victoria Trieu | 03-Dec-06 at 2:33 am | Permalink
What about the research that Carnegie-Mellon did that Dryfus used in his book On the Internet? It said that most people got depressed after being exposed to the Internet and using the Internet for communication, and spent less time with family in the house. Maybe people just had to get used to this type of technology. Or maybe there just isn’t enough research done yet to actually know how the Internet effects people. I did a few quick google searches for other surveys or studies but couldn’t find any that was as up to date as this one, so I can’t feel this study is backed up by anything else yet. Also, I don’t think that just asking a person if he feels like he spends less time with friends and family is the best way to go about this study because I don’t think that person would be the best judge of that. Overall though, I think that the Internet just needed some getting used to, and now that people are more settled into it, the extremes of the Internet are evening out to where people use it just enough to their liking.
Daniel Estrada | 03-Dec-06 at 2:58 am | Permalink
Victoria: You are probably right to remain skeptical of this study, and others like it, because they are measuring something extremely elusive, and so it is hard to know how to understand the results.
I think the real lesson to get from these kinds of studies is that the issues involved (internet communities and their relation to ‘real life’ relationships) is still so new and novel that we don’t quite know what to make of it. We all recognize the importance of the internet and its effects our lives- even Dreyfus will admit that much- but we don’t yet have the resources to quantify and meaningfully discuss exactly what and how it has changed our lives. Studies like this one probably do more to confirm our existing biases than to really give new perspective and understanding of the technology, but the latter is what we really want.
Greg Frazier | 03-Dec-06 at 4:41 pm | Permalink
Daniel- I’m not sure if this is what you were saying, so I apologize if it is a repeat thought.
I am skeptical of this study because it is looking at how these people compare their Internet friendships and real-life friendships. The results can say one of two things: Either people are having very meaningful Internet friendships, or people are having less meaningful real-life friendships. What could have been a meaningful relationship before the invention of the Internet could be completely forgotten.
Perhaps a better study would to look at brain patterns for someone in love talking to the person they love (about something that would stimulate the emotional part of the brain), and compare that to someone IMing or emailing someone they eLove about the same topic. Then, we could possibly see if the brain patterns are the same for someone sharing space with someone they love and someone sharing eSpace with someone they eLove. This all depends on whether or not that is something that can actually be seen. I am not a brain doctor, so I don’t know if it would work.
Jeffrey Seredynski | 04-Dec-06 at 11:47 pm | Permalink
This article was very interesting to me. This seems to support the idea that the internet is supplementing human interactions with one another and not just taking it over. Although people are meeting others online and becoming friends with them, the article states that there is an increasing number of people carrying these online friendships over to real friendships. Also, I find it interesting how it said that some people are communicating more with family members and close friends because of the internet and the use of the internet isn’t affecting their communication for most other people. Although it was interesting, I guess Victoria raises a good point and Daniel points out that we should still remain skeptical about this because of the study that Dreyfus pointed out. I guess when it comes down to it, ‘everything in moderation’ would be a good rule of thumb for internet usage and many other things in life.
Cristina Del Real | 05-Dec-06 at 1:39 am | Permalink
Even though many people no meet online and form relationships and friendships, this could not replace the relationships that are in person. I think the internet is more of a means to communicate with those friends that are farther away and that can not be seen so frequently. For example, I have a few friends that I met in Mexico and with whom I keep in touch with through email and IM. This does not replace the friendship that we formed in person, but keeps us in touch. There is still something more that someone gains by interacting with other in person, which is why even those who meet online eventually aim to meet in person.
Charlotte Miles | 05-Dec-06 at 12:15 pm | Permalink
This article is exactly how I feel about online communication. An example that I have ran across lately is myspace. My family mostly lives on the west coast and me and my parents live here in Illinois. With the huge time difference and the difference of daily schedules, I used to only talk to my cousins on the phone. Which was when our parents were talking to eachother and we were both home, which was only about once every 3 months. Now with the convience of myspace, I can leave a message and talk to my cousins almost every day. We can finaly say something or ask a question when we are thinking of it and not forget about it when we are able to get ahold of eachother.
Greg Frazier | 05-Dec-06 at 6:05 pm | Permalink
Christina has a good point. If people who meet online try to carry that over and meet in person, then clearly something about the Internet relationship is lacking. If the Internet friendship was sufficient, then there would be no need for it to carry on further. Similarly, if the Internet is being used to keep in touch, then it is merely doing its best to compliment person-to-person friendship in a way that it could never replace, but only suppliment it.
Danielle Bracken | 05-Dec-06 at 11:07 pm | Permalink
I agree with Cristina that the online friendships don’t replace off-line friendships, they’re just a means of keeping up relationships with people who are farther away. I think that this whole online friendship thing is a good example of Gehlen’s idea of technology expanding upon man’s deficiences. We can’t see each friend or family member every time we want to, so we have developed a technology to expand our opportunities to communicate with them, even if it is not as good as physical contact with them.
Daniel Fahey | 06-Dec-06 at 4:16 pm | Permalink
I want to comment on the “as strongly” part of the article. I have a hunch that a lot of people responded that they felt “as strongly” about their online friends as they did about their offline friends due to what has been said above in the first comment. At least to some extent. A lot of users share intimate details with people they hardly know or don’t know at all. Maybe they’re too shy to share this information with someone in person, so of course they would rate their feelings for their online friends “as strongly.” Also, a written survery or interview with the person is not enough to determine how they actually feel when it comes to this. Like what was said above, we need a lot more research before we can draw any definite conclusions. But if a person had their actual friend and their online friend (whom they have never seen prior to this moment of truth) right in front of them and were asked “Which do you feel stronger about?” I guarantee they’d pick their actual friend.
Kristina Hughes | 06-Dec-06 at 5:14 pm | Permalink
I read the article and related to a lot it had to say about online users. One thing I want to say about online friends is that I’ve noticed internet talking like AIM can create a dual relationship between two people. Let’s say I have a friend, like it has been said before, that is somehwat an introvert. Online, this friend is inclined to say what they please and not feel the risk of their conseuquences; ie. they don’t have to feel an awkward silence or a demeaning stare. This friend may admit things to me they wouldn’t have before; however when I see them in person, the relationship we have online does not transfer over. They are still shy and well aware of the risk factor in one-on-one conversation. Did my online conversatoin enhance our relationship? I guess the online/offline relathionship varies in different situations, I just thought it was interesting to think about (rahter than comparing two different friends, comparing the same friend).
Kyle Padera | 06-Dec-06 at 10:49 pm | Permalink
I completely agree with what Kristina just said. I think that online relationships should be categorized as an entirely different “relationship” if I may. When someone is behind a screen they have the powerful inclination to say whatever and not get embarassed about it, or literally get red in the face and be worried about it. And Kristina makes an impressive point in stating that sometimes the online relationship will not transfer over to the real life scenario. This is just the way things work now, and I think everyone understands how people such as aforementioned introverts work. Technology is just a medium to complicate already complicated relationships. But at least it allows geeks to talk to hotties.
Kyle Padera | 06-Dec-06 at 11:07 pm | Permalink
Something that I don’t think was mentioned in the internet friendship ordeal was the idea of Aristotle’s friendship of utlity. Batman for example is able to use the information and investigative services of the police department to help solve crimes and apprehend criminals quickly. Gordon (the Police Commissioner) is able to use the Bat Signal to call in batman whenever the department needs special assistance. Each is getting what he needs and wants from association with the other. The relationship is a two way street and significant benefits accrue from both parties. But I don’t think a relationship could exist over the internet. Because when will you truly know when someone is doing something for you or just “bullshitting” you or plainly lieing?
Nicholas Marino | 06-Dec-06 at 11:51 pm | Permalink
While many people question about how “strongly” a friendship can be online, I think there is some substinence behind it. While I have never had just “online” friends, many of my friends that I have today I started talking to them online. I started using the internet to talk to others in about 4th grade. Online made it a whole lot easier to talk to the opposite sex, especially after just meeting them and getting their screen names. Online allowed me to find out many things about a person’s personality and more about the person. Most of these online friendships turned into some of my best real life friendships. Not a big fan of online chat bashing because of this.
William Lee | 07-Dec-06 at 2:05 pm | Permalink
I still refuse to believe that strictly online friends can reach the same level of relationship as a real up close and personal friend. There is just tendencies of the human psyche that cannot be communicated through the internet. Plus with the ability for people to hide faults on the internet, you can never truly know for sure who is what. However, with sites like Myspace and Facebook, I believe that the online community has expanded and seen many new capabilities for online networking. I still believe though, that true human nature can only be seen in person.
Miguel Guzman | 07-Dec-06 at 8:29 pm | Permalink
Just as we are reading this me and my frat brothers where talking about this and how is a lot easier for people to express what they are feeling through a text. I agree with the article because I feel as close to my online friends as I do to the people I actually talk to. I also think is easier to send and e-mail because we spend so much time in front of the computer at work and doing homework so is at our finger tips.
Jeff Chwa | 07-Dec-06 at 9:05 pm | Permalink
I was having a similar discussion about online friendships and communication in my other class. One important thing that we discussed was the trouble with sometimes expressing what you want to online with chatting. Some things that should be taken as sarcastic are not and vice versa. I would have to agree to the fact that users are increasingly using the web to socialize. I just talked to someone over AIM that I have not talked to in a while because I had their screen name. This might be more comfortable than calling someone that you have not talked to in awhile.
Teresa Hernandez | 07-Dec-06 at 9:23 pm | Permalink
I think that for most people, their online relationships don’t interfere with their real-life relationships so I was not that surprised to read that. Online relationships are often healthy and I don’t see anything wrong with them; however I was kind of surprised to read that a lot of people rate their online relationships and their real-life relationships equally. I don’t understand how you can rate, for example, your best friend as important as a friend that you know online but have never met. I think that people form deeper connections with people that they know and actually spend time with, and this connection cannot be formed just by communicating with people through the internet. I guess others may not agree, but I for one would say that my friends and family are way more important to me than someone that I met online on some website.
Lindsey Schwartz | 07-Dec-06 at 9:25 pm | Permalink
I agree with what everyone has said to some extent. But I’ve been thinking, and it seems like the nature of our internet relationships kind of depends on how we see them. People like me who basically only use the internet (facebook, aim) to keep in touch with existing friends have a different use for the internet than people who use it to meet people and create relationships. What I see as a convenient way to keep in touch with people, other people might see as a way to make new connections and and friends.
Kenneth Sullivan | 07-Dec-06 at 11:11 pm | Permalink
Although I agree that online relationships help to further real life relationships, there can be specific instances where websites such as facebook and myspace can hurt genuinely nice people. In our fast moving world with facebook wallposts and messaging, people can be very quick to judge. It seems the word “creep” gets thrown around a lot more than before these internet social networks came about just because people spend a lot of time on facebook. I think it says little about our generation that we are so quick to judge others just for keeping up with their friends from other schools, or becoming online “friends” with someone they have met at their school.