Continuation of Thesis Statement

Updated Thesis Statement: Through social website use, such as myspace and facebook, individuals have effective interpersonal relationships.


MULTIPLE DETERMINANTS OF LIFE QUALITY: THE ROLSE OF INTERNET ACTIVITIES, USE OF NEW MEDIA, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND LEISURE ACTIVITIES.
(Select Volume 22, Issue 3)
Louis Leung, Paul S.N. Lee
School of Journalism & Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, Hong Kong

The quest for quality of life (QoL) is a growing concern for individuals and communities seeking to find sustainable life satisfaction in a technologically changing world. Industry, consumer groups, academics, and policy makers have sought to better understand how the Internet contributes to or detracts from society. This study examined the effects of Internet activities, new media use, social support, and leisure activities on perceived quality of life. Correlational results showed that Internet activities, such as using the Internet for sociability, fun seeking and information seeking, and new media use, correlate positively with various dimensions of social support. However, use of the Internet, especially for sociability, and computer use were inversely linked to QoL. Furthermore, hierarchical regression analysis revealed that affectionate, positive social interaction, and emotional and informational social support, received from either online or offline sources, are the strongest determinants of quality of life. More important, QoL can also be enhanced if suitable amounts of time are spent on media-related activities, namely, less time on using the Internet for intimate selfdisclosure and in playing computer games, and more time on listening to music on CD/MD/MP3. Finally, participating in community or religious activities for leisure was also a significant predictor of QoL. Implications regarding policy formulation to improve life quality are discussed.

SOCIABILITY, INTERPERSONAL RELATIONS AND THE INTERNET: RECONCILING CONFLICTING FINDINGS
Norman H. Nie, Stanford University
The American Behavioral Scientist; Nov 2001; 45, 3, 420-435 (2001)

During the course of the past year, at least four different academic surveys have been conducted, each focusing to some extent on the impact of Internet use on the quantity and quality of interpersonal communication and sociability. Remarkably, these studies arrive at starkly different conclusions regarding the social repercussions of Internet use. At the heart of this debate is whether Internet use can be a potentially isolating activity or one that leads to substantially greater communication among people and thus enhances human connectivity and sociability. Based on an analysis of these studies' key findings and methodological approaches, this article attempts to understand the role of the Internet in shaping our interpersonal relations. The key findings suggest that Internet users do not become more sociable; rather, they already display a higher degree of social connectivity and participation, due to the fact that they are better educated, better off financially, and less likely to be among the elderly. And simply because of the inelasticity of time, Internet use may actually reduce interpersonal interaction and communication.