The rapid development of IT Technology has brought about significant changes in human relations. Especially, internet use has been considered as an important factor which affects interpersonal relationships and quality of life. In previous studies, so ...
The rapid development of IT Technology has brought about significant changes in human relations. Especially, internet use has been considered as an important factor which affects interpersonal relationships and quality of life. In previous studies, some argued that internet use would extend interpersonal relationships (Kraut & Patterson, 1998), while others insisted that internet use would decrease offline social relations (McKenna & Bargh, 1998). This study explored the impact of internet use on interpersonal relationships via multi-method, multidisciplinary approaches. Particularly, we conducted 3-year longitudinal studies on effects of internet use on social interactions, social adjustment, and quality of life of adolescents and adults.
First, we examined the impact of internet use on quality of life and mental health, and some of the specific findings were as follows. In adolescents, when online and offline interpersonal behaviors were balanced, online use increased quality of life. However, when ones predominantly engaged in online interpersonal interactions, quality of life was exacerbated. In adults, women showed no significant differences between online and offline coping while less online avoidance coping predicted lower depression in men. In a study of undergraduates, it was found that individuals used facebook more often when negative emotion sustained which indicates online use is highly associated with emotion regulation.
Secondly, we explored the differential impact of online and offline interpersonal relations on building of social capital, intimacy and trust. Specifically, we found that online activities with close ones increased social capital, whereas those with mere acquaintance decreased social capital in adolescents and adults. Also, the effect of self-disclosure in online space on intimacy was found to be moderated by perceived partner responsiveness, while the offline self-disclosure predicted intimacy mediated by responsiveness. In another study, it was suggested that SNS (Cacao talk) use in remote spaces facilitated love and trust in marital relationship, while independent SNS use in the same place showed contrary effect. In sum, it seems that online and offline interpersonal behaviors have unique characteristics and they interact with each other.
Thirdly, the impact of individual differences on online communication was explored. Individuals with unstable attachment styles showed a greater tendency of self-disclosure in online space than in offline space to compensate offline interpersonal relations. Especially, in adolescents, high attachment anxiety led to greater emotional support from others at first, yet it caused disappointment over time. This result indicates the limitation of the compensatory role of online interpersonal relations for those with attachment anxiety. Also, the level of horizontal collectivism and horizontal individualism showed positive relationship with more frequent online contacts with friends and family members. Therefore, it is suggested that personal traits affect online interpersonal behavior and its effect directly and indirectly.
Lastly, we explored the collective activities and the formation of peer groups in online space. It was found that formation of public opinion and social movements can occur in online space, independently from public media. In another study, people who often used SNS thought that SNS would reflect the reality better than those who less frequently used SNS. In a quasi-experimental study on undergraduates, active response and self-disclosure played an important role in the formation of peer relationships. Also, in a longitudinal study which tracked down undergraduates after their graduation, it was found that online interactions helped to sustain intimacy with their peers in college. Therefore, it seems that online interpersonal relations could be effective for maintaining interpersonal relations.
To sum up, this study showed that online interpersonal behaviors had unique characteristics distinguished from offline ones. Moreover, our results have suggested that individual traits and circumstances would moderate the functions of online interpersonal activities differentially, rather than simply supporting either extension hypothesis or decrease hypothesis.