The Social Relationships on the Internet and Face-To-Face Relationships - Essay Example

number: The Social Relationships on the Internet and Face-To-Face Relationships Introduction The use of the internet as a means of communication has rapidly gained popularity since its advent in the last century. Notably, it has had and still has an increasing influential on people globally. One of the most influential factor that has led to as diverse popularity is its loneliness but interactive nature. The Internet seems to be touching all aspect of live; therefore, connecting persons in all fields of life and with all social classes. The recognition of the internet predominance has influenced the psychologists focus on the same phenomenon. Some of interested observers on the same influential nature of internet on the social life of the society have noted that the influential, and the heavy use of the internet may be alienated from the usual social contact. Additionally, they claimed that the internet use may as well predominant the society’s social lives. Although there are numerous, yet partially unknown, negative effects of the internet relationships, there are two main factors for consideration. Considerably, the internet relationship has adversely displaced some of the vital social activities, especially among the communities and individuals who have intensively indulged into the internet as their sure means of communication. In most cases, persons spend a lot of time online interacting that incapacitates them from face to face interaction or activities. Moreover, the internet is an effective venture of displacing the ever known strong ties that had ever been built by face-to-face interactions. It worth noting that the relationship that has been built out of the internet interactions are of low quality compared to the quality of face to face relationships. Therefore, intensively concentration on the online or the internet relationships weakens or replaces the strength of the face-to-face relationship. Relationship between Internet and Face-To-Face Relationship Some scholars have proposed that proper use of the internet is actually associated with deterioration of an individual. The use of the internet is blamed of diminishing of an individuals’ social circle; thus, leading to such individuals to depression and high rate of loneliness (Gross et al 75). In the case, of one on one or face to face relationship, an individual may as well get engaged by the other party present in his or her life; thus, breaking any kind of loneliness in either poor or acceptable ways. However, the internet relationship or interactions may be as well beneficial and productive only if such interactions and relationships are kept at their normal navels. Nonetheless, the intensive internet use may gratefully interfere with an individuals’ daily life. In fact, this may lead to numerous, unpredictable problems in such lives including relationship breakdown and depreciation in psychological well-being (Cumming et al 80). Many scholars have hypothesized some ideals that they have in a way used in explaining the existing relationship between the internet use and loneliness (Shaw & Gant 169). They have linked the two; that is the intensive or excessive use of the internet leads to loneliness and an individual’s state of loneliness are more likely to drive them to excessive use of the internet. The first hypothesis is actually emphasizing on the ideal that being online intensively breaks or interrupts with the real life relationships. Actually, the internet relationships isolate an individual from the real life norms and real world. Contrary to face-to-face relationships or interactions, the internet relationships or use often deprives an individual of sense of belonging and the concentration or being in touch with real world. Therefore, it is certain that the excessive use of the internet results to or from an individual’s state of loneliness; thus, they opt to time spent online by the affected individual as they invest on online relationships. In such cases, one is glued on interactive chat with a person he does not know (Young 237). Moreover, a study at the Stanford University has confirmed the effects of loneliness in relation to the internet relationships build out of online interactions. The Stanford University carried out a Quantitative Study on a society and involved a represented sample of 4113 of American adults. The study suggested that there is an increase of social with an increase in the use of the internet. A quarter of the respondents revealed that their use of internet of over five hours a week reduced their time with their friends and family members (Gross et al 83). The other section of the hypothesis stated that lonely individuals intend to over use the internet or invest on online relationships. This is because the internet services provide a perfect environment for a lonely individual to interact with another lonely person elsewhere. The Internet not only provides a vast social network, but also negatively alters an individual’s social interaction pattern; therefore, unlike face-to-face interaction, online interactions attract lonely persons who are in need of company. Lonely persons are likely to be socially inhabited and anxious than the non-lonely people (Cumming et al 85). It is often difficult for persons who have experienced high degrees of anxiety within their social relationships to establish new and perfect social connections (Gross et al 87). Thus, persons who are anxious or have ever been anxious with face-to-face communication are likely to be drawn to the internet relationships (Young 240). Contrary to the early speculations that the internet is an isolating technology, ideally, some studies have indicated that the internet plays a vital role in social involvement measurements. Interestingly, consecutive three-year studies on the negative effects of the internet, especially based on Home-Net studies have revealed that the negatives relationship effects of the internet relationships are slowly disappearing. The studies reported that the intensive use of online services or the internet interactions relates well with social involvement measurements and psychological well-being. The study revealed that the potential negative social and psychological consequences reduce as the society becomes more accustomed to the use of the internet (Gross et al 80). There are certain views that demonstrate that the use of the internet, as a trait variable function, is likely to reduce loneliness especially among the users. Numerous studies have been focused on this particular alternative view in examining since (Shaw & Gant 170) they cannot actually achieve such fulfillment through face-to-face interaction may be because of anxiety. For instance, Gant and Shaw found out that the increase in the internet usage is associated with a decline in the depression and loneliness levels, especially within an individual’s self-esteem and social support (Cumming et al 82). Additionally, the internet interactions and other internet related activities are known to be improving opportunities, providing support, and information, especially for social connection with the marginalized and socially isolated persons. It is often practically impossible or rather exceedingly difficult to communicate, or interact face to face with persons in other parts of the world, particularly in marginalized areas and as well as those in areas with calamities and other social disasters (Gross et al 90). Therefore, the current internet development is playing a vital part in social connection of persons with different culture, ethnicity, and political interest among others. The Internet interactions can build relationships that are sometimes even impossible to start; however, some of such the internet relationships never last compared to face-to-face initiated (Shaw & Gant 156) relationships. Nonetheless, it facilitates relationships of socially isolated groups by attracting young groups of persons including same sex, parents of disable children, and socially anxious persons among other groups (Cumming et al 88). These findings have led to the current conclusion that those who over spend time on the internet are unlikely to be lonely. Conclusion There are numerous contradictions between the relationship between the over usage of the internet and loneliness compared with the face to face-to-face interactions. Most experts claim that increasing use of the internet has led to decreased loneliness. Additionally, they have prompted that the relationships associated with the internet reduce loneliness as compared to face-to-face relationships that be full of hatred. On the other hand, other experts argue that over usage of the internet results from an individual’s state of loneliness; thus, relationships built from the same are never worthy and should be regarded as the relationship of the lonely people. The main reason for this conflicting reasoning may be based on cultural differences. That is, some countries or social settings are highly interactive that they only prefer face-to-face communications. For instance, Turkish, the South, and North Koreans among other countries and social groups are highly social that they highly value face-to-face relationships. Generally, visual cues and physical presence play an integral role in initiating and establishing any relationship; thus, relationships built out of face-to-face communication are ever too strong and promising opposed to the internet relationships. The internet is too anonymous, and a person may provide virtually wrong information depending on his or her interest in the relation he or she is seeking; thus, it may be practically difficult to build a sound relationship out from the internet. That is, offline environment are best in initiating and developing relationships. Works Cited Cummings J.N, Sproull L, Kiesler S. B. "Beyond hearing: Where real-world and online support meet." Group Dynamics: Theory, Research and Practice (2002): 6, 78-88. Gross E.F, Juvonen J, Gable S. L. "Internet use and well-being in adolescents." The Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues, 58 (1) (2002): 75-90. Shaw L.H, Gant L. M. "In defense of the Internet: The relationship between internet communication and depression, loneliness, self-esteem and perceived social support." CyberPsychology & Behavior, 5, (2002): 157-171. Young K. "Internet addiction: The emergence of a new clinical disorder." CyberPsychology & Behavior, 3, (1996): 237-244. Read More