impact of digital communication on relationships Flashcards
Granovetter - POSITIVE impact on relationships
States the strength of ties between two people can be judged by examining: the amount of time spent together, the emotional intensity and the degree of reciprocity (how much the other person responds in a similar way). It is clear to see that people have strong ties with close friends and family, but weak times with acquaintances. He argues that weak ties are just as important as strong ties, as they can lead to connections between members of networks, therefore helping to increase an individual’s social networks.
Zhao - POSITIVE impact on relationships
Suggests that the use of internet activities that involve helping people connect, eg, email, chat and social media, have positive effects on social ties which can strengthen relationships between people. This is opposed to more individual activities eg, surfing the internet, which has a more negative impact on relationships.
Kraut et al - POSITIVE impact on relationships
Critiqued research in the 1990s which suggested the internet was having a negative impact on people’s relationships as they found that the internet played a key role in helping to maintain and develop social ties with others. They did however find that online social ties are weaker than those offline showing that there is not a negative impact, eg, Instagram.
Feld - POSITIVE impact on relationships
People use social networks as a way of evaluating both themselves and others and stated that an individual’s identity is partly shaped by friendships networks that are created and maintained, eg, Snapchat.
Shaw and Grant - POSITIVE impact on relationships
Tested the hypothesis that internet usage can affect users beneficially. Internet use was found to decrease loneliness and depression significantly, while perceived social support and self esteem increased significantly.
Miller - POSITIVE impact on relationships
Digital communication can ‘make and break relationships’ - Social media (Facebook) can MAKE relationships as it can bring back lives of people isolated in homes by age, illness, shyness. Expanded our social relationships in a global context. It also helps people communicate more, enhance connections with others and connect on a deeper level.
Turkle - NEGATIVE impact on relationships
‘Alone Together’ - physically together, but alone. Turkle is extremely troubled not by the technology, but how we’re using it. It is now coming between people. She says we now behave in a way that is seen as ‘normal’ but wouldn’t have been originally. Eg, texting during meetings, texting at funerals, on phones during meals and maintaining eye contact whilst texting.
This poses a risk as we may: have trouble with relating to others, want to be with each other but also elsewhere, want to customise our lives and control where we put our attention at all times. Goldilocks effects - check in and out of social situations, level of involvement that’s just right.
Miller - NEGATIVE impact on relationships
Digital communication can ‘make and break relationships’ - Social media (Facebook) can BREAK relationships as it can: remove privacy, more people know more details about your personal life, can check phones and see conversations.
Case study of marriage breakdown - wife saw husband’s friend’s lifts and conversations he was having with another woman on Facebook.
Zhao - NEGATIVE impact on relationships
More individualised activities e.g. surfing the internet which has more negative impacts on relationships.
Palmer - NEGATIVE impact on relationships
Toxic parenting argues that parents rely on technology to occupy their children. Children then feel isolated and can’t relate to others face to face. This is negatively impacting relationships between child and parents.
