The influence of the internet has changed the way we communicate, learn and shop.
The Internet is probably best known for its ability to disseminate information, whether fact or fiction. We were once limited to news editors from a local paper, then to national cable news. Now anyone can search the world, visit local newspapers abroad and see the points of view from all sides. This ease of information has also led to a host of hoaxes, money tricks and misconceptions.
There is no doubt that easy access to the internet, such as the introduction of mail service and the invention of the telephone, has changed the nature of people’s connection with others in their social world. Mail enabled connections between people without physical proximity, and the telephone facilitated communication between distant people, enabling fast connections over long distances.
But has this communication revolution changed the pure nature of interpersonal and group processes?
On the one hand, since the primary use of the Internet is communication, some people might speculate that the Internet will have positive social impacts in people’s daily lives because it increases the frequency and quality of interpersonal communication between people. People who have easy access to others feel more connected and supported by others, leading to happiness and involvement in families, organizations, communities and society at large.
But on the other hand, the convenience of electronic communication can lead to weaker social bonds, as people have less reason to leave their homes and actually interact with other people. The internet enables people to more easily work from home, make and maintain friendships and even romantic bonds from home, bank from home, vote and participate in political and social discussions with others (from home).
In this variety of ways, Internet communication can potentially replace face-to-face communication. I think this point is important because psychologists have described and proven in many studies that such face-to-face and telephone connections are of higher quality, given their contribution to satisfaction and well-being.
Reading a series of longitudinal and experimental studies (ex McKenna, Green, and Gleason) that test a theory of Internet relationship formation, these researchers go straight into the argument that the psychological quality of Internet social interaction is lower than the psychological quality. of traditional face-to-face interaction.
Consider my own use. I have received several e-mail messages in the last hour. My friend confirms dinner for tonight. Even though it’s the weekend, my colleagues send me questions about the current exam and expect a quick answer. So does a graduate student from Europe, whom I recently met on “MySpace” with an urgent request for a letter of recommendation. My friend Ksenija sends me an IM to tell me the latest news about her new love. And so on and so on…
I suppose I live a virtual life too, and what’s most interesting, all my friends online are also my friends in real life. And if they weren’t in the past, I somehow managed to bring my cyberfriends into my real life so that here in my real life I have real communication, real face-to-face “conversations”, could allow real exchange of emotions, feelings of happiness, contentment and well-being. I would say for me the internet is a great new way to do old things.
So, what conclusion can I draw other than the one that internet life cannot stand on its own without real-life communication. It’s simple: if we understand the qualities of face-to-face communication that influence the impact of such communication on people and their social interaction, we could predict the likely influence of any new communication technology. However, researchers show that sooner or later people convert their cyber contacts to more traditional face-to-face, just like me. People use the internet, in other words to help them achieve their real-life goals. And instead of technology changing people’s social and psychological reality, in other words, people are changing their use of technology to facilitate the creation of a desired social reality.
Internet users should scrutinize their behavior to ensure that excessive time online does not negatively impact their personal well-being. We shouldn’t throw our computers out the window, but we shouldn’t become blindly dependent on the internet either. As with many things in life, it seems that moderation and balance are key to maximizing the positive effect of the internet.
Recommended
- Basic guidelines for health insurance Healthcare providers like laboratories, hospitals and x-rays, the house of storage that shares and consults your health information with the doctors and the use of computers and other electronic devices makes your job easy for you. Using computers in this interesting way in today's fast paced life is called health…
- The best aviation information resources We are currently living in the so-called information age. This is because the most important resource anyone can have is information. The internet happens to be the largest source of information we currently have and it covers almost every topic. Most companies, individuals, organizations, institutions and other groups have some…
- The importance of hotels and accommodation in promoting… In modern times, the way people spend their holidays has undergone a major change. People like to spend good times with family and friends while exploring different tourist places around the world at the same time. As a result, the tourism industry around the world has experienced unprecedented growth, which…
- Get the best deal from the car transport companies Relocation of the people from one place to another has certainly led to the increase in the number of packing and moving companies. Starting with just a few companies, this industry has been expanding at a very fast pace. Previously, services were limited to delivering the belongings to the desired…
- Disadvantages of Private Health Insurance Depending on your medical needs, you need to get health insurance and you need to choose a suitable plan for that. A number of factors must be taken into account when obtaining such a policy. Your gender, your health condition, your occupation, your medical history, habits, etc. are some of…
- Discount Business Car Insurance - How To Find Cheap Business… Discount business car insurance can become a reality if you know where to look and how to buy. With so many companies ready to insure your business, the process of finding the right insurer can be overwhelming. Nationwide, GMAC, Farmers, UniTrin Kemper, The Hartford, Liberty Mutual - these are just…
- Auto Insurance Reviews - Save Time, Effort and Money If you want to choose the best car insurance policy, it is important to do a thorough study and look at the prevailing car insurance companies in the market. The next step is to go through the auto insurance reviews posted about the company. This certainly gives you a good…
- Creating a borderless world through social networks Over the years, the Internet is constantly evolving and prompting endless creative ideas that leverage new online marketing strategies, such as social networking sites, to reach a greater share of online business networks.The rise of social networking sites has created a world without borders by reaching people all over the…
- Understand all about auto insurance for women If you are suddenly single or on your own for the first time in your life and you don't know anything about auto insurance that you now need to purchase on your own, do you know how to find the information you need to know before purchasing auto insurance? for…
- Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes - Compare Chicago and other… This article takes a look at some of the functional ways to find car insurance quotes. It focuses on specific resources such as online searches, carrier websites, and independent quote provider websites to find this information. Readers will be able to quickly access and spot auto insurance quotes.Technology has made…
- Health insurance buying tips for newbies If insurance language sounds more like Greek than English to you, fear not. These tips will teach you just enough to help you successfully navigate the insurance buying process. Shop. This is easier than it sounds because here in Texas many insurance agents sell the same products. For example, most…
- How to buy flood and home insurance Flood damage is usually not covered by regular home insurance policies. In fact, it is usually excluded from the coverage of these plans. So if you want to buy flood and home insurance, you really need to buy two separate policies. Most people don't buy flood insurance because it is…
- Get the right policy by comparing car insurance quotes If you own a car, you are legally obliged to take out insurance for it. Getting good car insurance is important to protect yourself against unforeseen risks. For example, car owners who have insurance can save themselves from high repair and legal costs when their car is involved in an…
- Affordable Contact Lenses Easy Ordering Many people with less than perfect vision will be happy to know that discounted contact lenses are available over the counter and that ordering is quick and easy.These two small transparent round discs have an interesting history. It is said that Leonardo da Vinci described and sketched them 300 years…
- Quickly find cheap home insurance online You cannot deny that most people dreamed of a cheap insurance home with good coverage. Well, you can find out if you are determined and patient enough to shop online or shop on it over the internet.The internet is the easy way to search as you decide the time and…
- Expat guide: Postal services in Portugal The postal service in Portugal was introduced in 1533 by King Manuel I. Today, CTT (Correios e Telecomunicações) is the national postal service. Many expats claim that the postal service in Portugal is better than in the UK. CTT stands for Correios, Telegrafos e Telefones. There are more than 1,000…
- Jitterbug Phone Reviews - Jitterbug Phone Complaints Because of their marketing efforts to non-traditional customers, Jitterbug's phones have gained acceptance as a mainstream alternative to "smartphones" such as the iPhone and Blackberry. But as a popular mobile company that prides itself on simplicity and accessibility, Jitterbug is not exempt from criticism.We scoured the internet for Jitterbug phone…
- Pet Insurance Reviews, Cat & Dog Insurance Reviews ASDA Pet… There was a time when insurance was considered only for humans. But nowadays, with the passage of time, people also go for pet insurance. These animals are also members of our family, so as we provide human safety by insuring him/her, we must also purchase pet insurance. Which insurance you…
- Cheap car insurance online quotes Cheap car insurance quotes online are quite easy to find these days. The cost of vehicle protection gets more expensive every year so it is very important that you can find the policy that offers the best value for your money. This article is designed to help you find the…
- Earn money online easily - even if you are new to the… Legitimate ways to make money online exist, and one of the easiest for the beginner is to join affiliate programs. Think about it, the product already exists. You are already ahead of the crowd, you don't have to come up with a product or service. That's the beauty of it,…