Computers, Phones and the Internet: Domesticating Information Technology

Ch.17. The Internet and Social Interaction: A Meta-Analysis and Critique of Studies, 1995-2003. Irina Shklovski, Sara Kiesler, and Robert Kraut

ABSTRACT:

The Internet is first and foremost a communication technology with the potential to change peoples’ social interaction. This paper reviews 16 surveys that examine how Internet use can affect social interaction. Our meta-analysis shows that people’s Internet use is not associated with their social interaction with family members. The evidence on interactions with friends is contradictory. Studies using cross-sectional designs suggest that more Internet use is sometimes associated with less interaction with friends. Studies using longitudinal repeated measures designs, which can reveal changes in interaction over time, suggest that more Internet use leads to a slight increase in interactions with friends. We discuss plausible interpretations of these findings and, more broadly, how the choice of research design changes what we learn about technology and social change.

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