There has been an explosion in the modes and reach of remote communication. When Wellman conducted his early studies of social ties in 1968 and 1979,[8.numoffset=”8″ See Wellman (1979) and Wellman and Wortley (1990).] the results were relatively straightforward. Americans either telephoned (using traditional “landline” phones, of course)[9. There is no popular term for traditional […]
Teens and Generation Y (age 18-28) are significantly more likely than older users to send and receive instant messages, play online games, create blogs, download music, and search for school information.
Does the internet degrade friendship, kinship, civic involvement, and social capital? One of the great debates about the internet is what it is doing to the relationships that Americans have with friends, relatives, neighbors, and workmates. On the one hand, many extol the internet’s abilities to extend our relationships — we can contact people across […]
Does email substitute for or augment in-person and phone contact? Since the internet became popular, analysts have wondered about the relationship between email and other means of social contact. Some studies test the replacement hypothesis by examining whether the frequency of email messages sent or received corresponds to decreases (or even increases) in the frequency […]
Large social networks provide opportunities and burdens. The opportunities provided by large social networks are obvious. There are more people to socialize with and to provide social capital. There is the possibility for more diversity in larger networks, and that expands the kinds of experiences people share within a network and the kinds of resources […]
On behalf of the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the authors would like to acknowledge contributions to this study by the following people: Shyon Baumann, Victoria Boase, Wenhong Chen, Rochelle Côté, David Lazer, Bonnie Erickson, Jane Fountain, Bernie Hogan, Miki Itano, Tracy Kennedy, and Beverly Wellman. This material is based upon work supported by […]