A game of win-win or win-lose? Revisiting the internet’s influence on sociability and use of traditional media

Abstract

This study examines the influence of internet adoption and internet usage on sociability and use of traditional media. With empirical data collected in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, it confirms that adoption and usage are two distinct processes, with different social impacts. It is found that, on average, internet users spend significantly less time on traditional media than nonusers, while both groups spend the same amount of time on social activities. Furthermore, users' sociability and use of traditional media are positively correlated with each other, while among nonusers there is no such correlation. When the spotlight is turned on internet users, a new measurement, called 'sophistication of internet usage', is employed to examine the impact of internet use on traditional media use and sociability. It is found in the study that internet use does not influence users' sociability and use of traditional media, regardless of the length of internet adoption history, which disconfirms the so-called 'novelty effect'.

Internet Use, Online Communication, and Ties in Americans’ Networks

“…Research in Hong Kong shows no significant difference in the amount of time spending on social activities by Internet users and nonusers (Peng & Zhu, 2010). Close to 90% of American Internet users report that the Internet has not affected the amount of time they spend with family and friends (Kennedy, Smith, Wells, & Wellman, 2008).…”

“…In-between the reinforcement and the displacement camp, there are studies suggesting that new communication technologies may have limited impacts on strong ties (Bargh &McKenna, 2004; Baym et al, 2004). Research in Hong Kong shows no significant difference in the amount of time spending on social activities by Internet users and nonusers (Peng & Zhu, 2010). Close to 90% of American Internet users report that the Internet has not affected the amount of time they spend with family and friends (Kennedy, Smith, Wells, & Wellman, 2008).…”

“It seems like it has always been with us!”: Introducing media technology into children’s lives and family interpersonal relationships

“…They will either take a picture of what they have created or draw it digitally on the iPod and 'email it to grandma' (Tom, 25-34 years old, Norfolk, twins aged 5). In this context media technology allows for establishing even closer connections with the family, maintaining geographically diverse networks, making it easier to stay in touch, while at the same time allowing families to experiment with means of communication and find new ways of sharing the intimate and personal details of their lives with distant relatives (Peng and Zhu 2011).…”

Do the mobile-rich get richer? Internet use, travelling and social differentiations in Finland

“…Empirical research has, however, provided scant support for these views. It has been argued, for instance, that Internet use may lead to less use of traditional media but that Internet usage does not influence the amount of time spent on social activities (Peng and Zhu, 2011). Others have firmly argued that Internet use adds to socializing and travelling (Ishii, 2006;Wellman, 2001;Wellman et al, 2003).…”

“…The limits of this approach become evident when the technology under investigation becomes extremely widespread, which is the case for Internet use in many countries. For example, in Finland the use of the Internet could only increase among people aged 65-74 years between 2011(Statistics Finland, 2012. For this reason, it makes increasingly good sense to explore how the actual patterns of Internet use are differentiated among users and, as this study does, to analyse more specifically whether modes of accessing the Internet differentiate users and their travelling practices.…”