How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior - Essay Example

How the Internet Has Affected Communication Behavior Much available literature regarding use of the Internet and how it affects communications behavior has been based upon a polarized spectrum: Strictly for gathering information and writing e-mails to online social perversion. Understanding online communications behaviors is daunting, since pre-existing psychological/sociological factors cannot really be ruled out. Yet, statistics show an ever-growing number of Internet users globally, both personally and within companies. This study seeks to gain a background of studies already conducted, demonstrating both productive and nonproductive communication via the Internet, then to propose a study based upon current usage and its affect on traditional person-to-person communications. Introduction The Internet has proven to be a powerful tool for worldwide commerce and communication. Where ten years ago there were only 16 million Internet users, as of September 2005 there are now more than 957 million Internet users (Internet World Stats, Oct. 2005). With the advent of instant communication and commerce, financial transfers and access to other parts of the world, how does this affect human behavior Prior to the Internet were video games, which over time became more and more sophisticated. The social impact of video games spawned a plethora of studies on human behavior and interaction, especially regarding young people and families. As the Internet began to take hold, people began to be able to communicate and play games over long distances, in real time. It was felt that this activity interrupted family and social life. Also in the early days of the Internet we began to see message boards, where messages could be posted in an online community. Now, with ever-new Internet tools for more seamless communication, we need to examine how this is affecting the traditional forms of communication. This study proposes to further examine how the internet is changing the way people communicate with each other on an everyday basis, both for better and for worse. Background It has been said that Internet use decreases social interaction. According to a recent study by Stanford University (January 2005), frequent Internet users report a drop of 15% in traditional social activities, and as much as a 25% drop in use of the phone for talking to friends. While this may be startling at first, history reflects that increased use of the telephone also decreased personal visiting and social activities. There are many variables affecting increases in social Internet use, such as savings in long distance telephone calls and less time spent in the car. This could be interpreted as social isolation if one is simply looking at the numbers and not the reasons behind the numbers. A discouraging report (Scott Sleek, 1998) indicated that only 22% of Internet users of two or more years had ever made a new friend online. While this study downplayed the potential value of online friendships, it also encouraged more rigorous study in the area of balance between online communication and person-to-person communication. A more recent study (David E. Rohall, et.al, 2002) looked for links between Internet usage and self esteem issues in the realm of person-to-person contact. Again, further research was encouraged, yet the outcome of the study was much more positive. This could lead us to believe that as use of the Internet is integrated into everyday life, a balance could create itself simply through adaptation and users' natural inclinations. These examples provide a clue as to the concerns of our society in terms of interrelationships; it is indicated that in the dawning days of the internet there was trepidation regarding how internet communication would affect person to person communication, yet research has shown that much of the communication taking place by email and chat rooms on the part of college students and others took place within the context of an already existing social network of friends and family (Rohall). Along the same lines came the potential problem of Internet addiction and subsequent research; concern was that the Internet could be as addictive as a drug in a report by Joseph B. Walther of Cornell University (1999, for the American Psychological Association). This study pointed out that addictive behaviors apply to any potentially addictive substances including electronic devices. This study also encouraged further research but had the good sense to point out that people with addictive behaviors only substituted use of the Internet for other means of expressing addictive behavior. In other words, the Internet itself is not the cause of addiction, it is simply a means used to satisfy the addiction. One factor that the Walther study pointed out is that the lack of social skills exhibited in person-to-person contact (such as the "talkaholic") will be translated into Internet behavior as well. The Internet is simply a means of a different kind of communication and the consequences are the same as if in person. Eventually the "talkaholics" wear out their audience and find a new one. The only difference is, online they find a new audience faster. The same applies for other people with social dysfunctions of all kinds. The ease and speed of the Internet delivers satisfaction instantly, encouraging addictive behavior. One thing that has been duly noted in research is the tendency of frequent Internet users to be able to change their identity (which also, of course, happens in person-to-person contacts) and engage in behaviors that they are not able to perform in "real life." Sexual activities, social status, an entirely different set of circumstances can be created online that would be difficult or impossible to conduct in one's personal sphere. In an informative and entertaining article by Norman M. Holland (Human Nature Review, January 2004), "Talking on the Internet, people regress. It's that simple. It can be one-to-one talk on e-mail or many-to-many talk on one of the LISTs or newsgroups. People regress, expressing sex and aggression as they never would face to face." Holland goes on to say that three "primitivisms" are rampant on the Internet: Aggression, Sexual Harassment and Generosity. While studies of what, why and how people use the internet for what purposes is easily documented; we will focus on what we shall call "recreational/social" internet use and how it has affected other forms of communication, how it has changed everyday life and how it is likely to change in the future. Our hypothesis is that Internet enhancement will increase usage for basic information, communication and services without jeopardizing traditional social contact. We further hypothesize that verbal communication of what is gleaned from the internet takes place often in the course of verbal conversations, and that the use of the internet will continue to be a primary means of purveying information and visiting over long distances rather than replacing traditional social interactions. Proposal We feel it is important to update studies in use of the Internet due to recent changes and upheavals in the American economy due to terrorism, natural disasters and outsourcing. It is critical to study the role that the Internet plays as a purveyor of information as well as a coping mechanism when one's traditional support system of friends and family is not immediately available. Current studies seem polarized in terms of productive and counterproductive use of the Internet without addressing the basic structure of human interaction, which existed well before the Internet was invented. The reality is, the Internet is here to stay. How are people using the Internet in a way that fulfills their basic social needs With a volatile and changing society, how do people turn to the Internet for reliable information and communication What are the advantages of online communication as opposed to other forms of communication In order for the Internet, as a service, to continue to address people's needs, these questions need to be answered in order to encourage a healthier society and better business relations as opposed to fads and temporary trends that flow and ebb as they do in the "real world." We propose to conduct a study based upon these questions, and we also propose that such studies are updated twice a year, in order to have an accurate view of users' needs and interests. Proposed Method This study will span for two years, with participants answering questionnaires twice a year. Participants will be selected globally, and they must be United States citizens. This is to ensure that the study reflects diverse conditions of Internet use; the results will reflect the demographics of the participants. The age range will be from 25 to 60 years of age, normally considered to be working years. In addition to filling out the online questionnaire, participants will be asked to download a simple counting tool that will keep track of how many times they go online and for how long on a daily basis, from their personal computer. This information will be transferred to the server of the study. In the event that a participant changes computers and does not complete the study, a margin of error will be used to reflect a dropout rate. We will sample 5,000 people total, expecting a 50% response rate. Questionnaire First of 4 1. Do you own a personal computer (Y/N) 2. During what part of the day do you use your personal computer the most Morning Afternoon Evening 3. How much time do you spend each day at your personal computer Less than one hour 1 - 3 hours 4 hours or more 4. Do you use instant messaging (i.e.: Yahoo, MSN, AOL) (Y/N) 5. If yes, whom do you chat with the most (check all that apply) Family Friends Colleagues Strangers 6. Of the people with whom you chat, what percentage of them do you know personally (face to face) 100% 75% - 99% 50% - 74% Less than 50% None 7. For what purpose do you engage in online chat/email (check all that apply) I live far from my family/friends I don't have enough time or energy to visit in person Less expensive than long distance telephone calls Work purposes after working hours I prefer online communication to talking on the phone Other (please explain) 8. Has online communication changed your social habits (Y/N) If yes: social life has increased/decreased 9. For what purpose do you use the World Wide Web (check all that apply) News/information Entertainment Chat rooms/social Gaming Shopping Banking Research Education Job Search Other (please specify) 10. How has having a personal computer changed your daily habits Questionnaires 2- 4 These questionnaires will give the respondents the opportunity to change their answers from the first questionnaire and will all include the following questions: 1. Since answering the first survey, has your employment changed (Y/N) If Yes: New job Unemployed Did you or are you using the Internet for a new job (Y/N) 3. Have you relocated in the past 6 months (Y/N) If yes: Did use of the Internet help you relocate (Y/N) If yes: Please explain 4. Overall, how have your personal computing habits changed (please explain) in the past six months, if at all References: Holland, Norman M. (January 2004), The Internet Regression. Human Nature Review. Retrieved 8 October 2005 from: http://www.shef.ac.uk/psysc/rmy/holland.html Internet World Stats (October 2005): INTERNET GROWTH STATISTICS Today's road to eCommerce and global trade. Internet World Stats. Retrieved 7 October 2005 from: http://www.internetworldstats.com/emarketing.htm Nie, Norman H.; Simpser, Alberto; Stepanikova, Irena and Zheng, Lu. (December, 2004), TEN YEARS AFTER THE BIRTH OF THE INTERNET, HOW DO AMERICANS USE THE INTERENT IN THEIR DAILY LIVES Stanford Institute For Quantitative Study Of Society. Retrieved 9 October 2005 from: http://www.stanford.edu/group/siqss/ Rohall, David E.; Cotten, Shelia R.; Morgan, Charlie. (5 September 2002), INTERNET USE AND THE SELF CONCEPT: LINKING SPECIFIC USES TO GLOBAL SELF-ESTEEM. University of Iowa Publication, CRISP. Retrieved 10 October from: http://www.uiowa.edu/grpproc/crisp/crisp.8.1.html Sleek, Scott. (September 1998), Isolation Increases With Internet Use: The Internet Connects Us With People We Might Otherwise Never Meet-and May Be Leaving Us Lonelier Than Ever. APA Monitor. Retrieved 9 October 2005 from: http://www.apa.org/monitor/sep98/isolat.html Walther, Joseph B. (August 1999), Communication Addiction Disorder: Concern over Media, Behavior and Effects. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association in Boston. Retrieved 9 October 2005 from: http://66.102.7.104/searchq=cache:doDjbBbIpwQJ:psychcentral.com/archives/walther_cad.pdf+internet+addiction+Walther+1998&hl=en Read More