Pew: "The Strength of Internet Ties"
Pew has released a new study called "The Strength of Internet Ties," authored by Jeffrey Boase, John B. Horrigan, Barry Wellman and Lee Rainie. From the summary of findings:
The report is available as a PDF at the page linked above.
Our evidence calls into question fears that social relationships — and community — are fading away in America. Instead of disappearing, people’s communities are transforming: The traditional human orientation to neighborhood- and village-based groups is moving towards communities that are oriented around geographically dispersed social networks. People communicate and maneuver in these networks rather than being bound up in one solidary community. Yet people’s networks continue to have substantial numbers of relatives and neighbors — the traditional bases of community — as well as friends and workmates.
The report is available as a PDF at the page linked above.
posted by Aaron Veenstra at 9:33 PM
2 Comments:
Nice post Aaron. Lots of increasing evidence to this effect. Kraut et al. and Nie must be regretting their early statements regarding the Internet the wake of evidence suggesting the opposite.
Two of my three teenaged sons play World of Warcraft online. Every day. They have a very complex, very open network of players -- different ages, different states/countries.
Initially I was skeptical . . . but now I don't discourage their playing (well . . . sometimes). The game is full of depth, history, mythology . . . and their circle of online acquaintances is MUCH more diverse that their real-world circle in small-town Wisconsin.
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