Webuse&Society

Webuse@Society

An Online Journal Examining

the Internet's Role In Society

http://www.webuse.org

Volume 1, Issue 1, Spring 2006

Social Implications of

Internet Use

Editor: John P. Robinson
Publisher: Internet Scholars Program

University of Maryland

i. Issue Introduction

1. IT and Social Change, 2000-2004: Behavioral and Attitudinal Evidence from the General Social Survey

In order to track social change during a period of the rapid advances brought about by new information technologies (IT), a targeted module of IT-relevant questions was added to the 2000, 2002 and 2004 samples in the General Social Survey (GSS). Three general issues inherent in and guiding the questions asked (as well as the analyses conducted) are whether IT functions to: 1) displace or expand related daily activities, 2) reflect, reinforce or express a more open or tolerant set of socio-political attitudes, and 3) increase “knowledge gaps” between the information rich and poor.

On the first issue, Internet use generally was not correlated consistently nor significantly with lower usage of either traditional personal or mass communications media, nor with lower levels of other social activities like church attendance or arts participation. If anything it was associated with increased usage of these other media or activities. On the second issue, IT use was again related to more tolerant or pro-diversity attitudes, although only on certain of such GSS questions. Thirdly, usage of Internet information websites was found among those with higher years of education and higher vocabulary scores supporting social commentators and communication scholars concerned about IT functioning to widen the “knowledge gap” between the information rich and poor in society. At the same time, it may be increasing an “entertainment gap” between these groups as well.

2. Economic Characteristics of Internet Users vs. Nonusers and Implications for Web–based Surveys

Persons with and without access to the Internet can differ substantially in many ways. Using a national RDD telephone survey of adults’ economic outlook, this study finds that persons with Internet access at home view their own economic situation and the nation’s more favorably than do persons without home Internet access. However, when demographics like income, age, and region of residence are controlled, these differences disappear. This is a positive finding for survey organizations that hope to use Internet surveys to make inferences about the general population, since the demographic imbalances between the Internet population and the full population can be corrected on this topic by using statistical adjustments.

3. Family Support and Internet Use among Low-income Adults

HomeNetToo is a community panel study that intensively examined the antecedents and consequences of in-home Internet use by 90 low-income families, by automatically and continuously monitoring their Internet use for 16 months. Surprisingly, participants in more Internet-supportive families (mainly coming from the children in these families) used the Internet less than participants whose families were less supportive. Among the possible explanations for this finding are their resulting distractions from Internet activities, their diminished enjoyment and engagement in Internet activities, and their dependence on others to solve technical problems. It appears some types of family support (like those that encourage dependence of others for problem-solving) may undermine Internet use, in contrast to family support that builds confidence and problem-solving skills that may encourage Internet use.

Publication Information

Publisher

Internet Scholars Program

University of Maryland

Editor

John P. Robinson

Internet Scholars Program

University of Maryland