Internet social networking has raised concerns among mental health care experts. Does this form of contact enhance relationships or cause further isolation? Is it a genuine connection or a pseudo-connection? Do people know more about each others’ lives, while at the same time not really knowing each other? Do people socialize, or just sit at home and type? A study conducted in 2006 shows that since 1985, people have fewer close relationships, but researchers in a 2008 survey conducted by Pew Research claim that internet and text messaging is not as isolating as it first appeared.
Researchers at Pew claim that their findings show that 12% of Americans have no discussion partners, and this is “relatively close” to the 8.1% found in 1985. That’s an interesting way to look at a 50% increase in people who have no one to talk to. The average American has 1.93 confidants for serious issues, compared to 2.98 in 1985, a significant decrease. However, the total number of people in a person’s network has increased, and in a surprising result, people who use the internet are more likely to have a close confidant.
It would appear, then, that those who were already isolated are even more isolated because they stay away from internet connections. The study shows that more people connect via the internet rather than traditional letters or phone calls, but people do still go out to social events and restaurants. They use the internet to make arrangements and connect with a wider variety of friends and relatives.
