Is the Internet killing our social lives?

[bwind22]

Do you give your consent to answer the questionnaire?

Yes


1. Are you male or female? Male

2. Which ethnic group do you belong to?

White European


3. Which of these social classes do you think you belong to?


Intermediate middle class (teachers, lower-grade professionals)


4. How old are you? 26


5. How much time do you spend on the Internet each week (on average)?


12-17 hours


6. How much leisure time do you spend with friends and family in person each week (on average)?


12-17 hours


7. Which type of websites do you tend to visit whilst online? Select as many that apply.

Message boards/forums
Online shopping
News websites


8. When you’re online, do you often communicate with people from different backgrounds (i.e. people of a different nationality, ethnic group, social class, etc.)?

Yes


9. How would you describe your online relationships? People I talk to about various subjects of common interest.


10. Do you feel particularly close to your Internet contacts (please explain why or why not)? No. They are all still strangers on the internet.



11. Have you ever met up with, and befriended, someone you communicated with over the Internet? (select one of the responses)

No

12. Have you ever been concerned about online flaming (flaming refers to heated arguments and/or abuse in online message boards/chat rooms/forums)? Concerned about it? No. It's entertaining.

13. Would you say flaming was one of the major problems of communicating online?

No. People that whine about flaming are the main problem. And also internet pedophiles.


14. Would you say you belong to an online community, or do you think it’s impossible for a group of people who communicate over the Internet to form a community? Anyone that thinks an online community is an impossibility needs to doublecheck the definitions of those words. I belong to several.


15. Do you use Computer Mediated Communications (CMC’s) such as e-mail, instant messaging, and message forums to communicate with your personal, close relationships such as family and friends?

Yes


16. Do you feel as close to your family and friends when you are communicated via the Internet/e-mail as you would do in person?

Yes


17. How many clubs/societies do you belong to?

1-3

18. Have you ever joined an online protest movement?

No


19. Have you ever joined any groups which use networking via the Internet to put people in touch with each other (for example, Facebook.com)?

Yes

20. Which groups are these? (specify the name(s) of the group(s))

Myspace.com

21. On the whole, would you say using the Internet improves your relationships with other people, or it has no effect on people’s relationships, or does it make you more isolated/alienated from other humans? (select one response)


Has no effect on relationships


22. Do you trust people you speak to online?

Not neccesarily. This question is too vague. I trust everyone to a certain extent until they give me reason not to, but would I be inviting them all over to my house? No.

23. Have you come across someone online who has helped you out in some way (i.e. by giving you advice)?

Yes

[Phalanx]

Do you give your consent to answer the questionnaire? Yes

1. Are you male or female?
Yes.

2. Which ethnic group do you belong to?
White European

3. Which of these social classes do you think you belong to?
Semi-skilled working class (student)

4. How old are you?
25

5. How much time do you spend on the Internet each week (on average)?
12-17 hours

6. How much leisure time do you spend with friends and family in person each week (on average)?
24-30 hours

7. Which type of websites do you tend to visit whilst online? Select as many that apply.
Forums, P2P applications, news, online gaming.

8. When you’re online, do you often communicate with people from different backgrounds (i.e. people of a different nationality, ethnic group, social class, etc.)?
Yes

9. How would you describe your online relationships?
Various, Casual, Insignificant.

10. Do you feel particularly close to your Internet contacts (please explain why or why not)?
Not really, there have been times when I have been "closer" or known people better than I do now, but with a busier schedule, and some disagreements that have made things look like a bad idea in the first place, along with changes of priority, at this point, any aquiantance is casual at most...the majority of which would be the back and forth that goes on here, the small amount of time spent in the chatroom, and making digs at those I'm beating in yahoo pool.

11. Have you ever met up with, and befriended, someone you communicated with over the Internet?
Couple of people, couple of years back.

12. Have you ever been concerned about online flaming (flaming refers to heated arguments and/or abuse in online message boards/chat rooms/forums)?
I personally see flaming as something outside of arguments, where there doesn't neccessarily have to be two willing parties involved.
Concerned by? no.
Annoyed by? yes.

13. Would you say flaming was one of the major problems of communicating online?
No, more of an expectation.

14. Would you say you belong to an online community, or do you think it’s impossible for a group of people who communicate over the Internet to form a community?
This forum would be as close as I'd come to that...sharing conversation with those that have a few things and/or interests in common. Although, I don't consider these people peers. I don't consider this a community. To me, a community is more than an internet forum could provide.

15. Do you use Computer Mediated Communications (CMC’s) such as e-mail, instant messaging, and message forums to communicate with your personal, close relationships such as family and friends?
Yes

16. Do you feel as close to your family and friends when you are communicated via the Internet/e-mail as you would do in person?
No

17. How many clubs/societies do you belong to?
0

18. Have you ever joined an online protest movement?
No

19. Have you ever joined any groups which use networking via the Internet to put people in touch with each other (for example, Facebook.com)?
No, unless messenger programs count.

20. Which groups are these? (specify the name(s) of the group(s))
If msn and yahoo count, those, if not, none.

21. On the whole, would you say using the Internet improves your relationships with other people, or it has no effect on people’s relationships, or does it make you more isolated/alienated from other humans? (select one response)
Makes long distance communication with family members cheaper, and quicker. I don't feel as though it adds or removes any kind of closeness.

22. Do you trust people you speak to online?
No.

23. Have you come across someone online who has helped you out in some way (i.e. by giving you advice)?
I have come across those that have offered different perspectives...haven't always agreed with them, but the process at least has helped me in my own decision making.

[ShankS]

I'd go as far as saying, it's increased my 'social' activity. Work, after work and on my days off I'll socialise with friends & relatives when out and about, then do the same when on my Pc through forums, instant messengers and emails and the like if I'm at home on my own.

[the_real_linda]

1. Are you male or female? fembot....i mean yes female
2. Which ethnic group do you belong to? erm i white and english...boring huh
3. Which of these social classes do you think you belong to? erm dunno...i hate the class system....we did loads about it in sociology and i came out as middle cuz of what my father does....but who the frak cares
4. How old are you? 19
5. How much time do you spend on the Internet each week (on average)? too much olo!
6. How much leisure time do you spend with friends and family in person each week (on average)? frak knows...a lot at the moment but next week my animation has to be handed in so not so much....ill be in a panic
7. Which type of websites do you tend to visit whilst online? erm my emails...??? here....weird ass comic book stuff and film stuff
8. When you’re online, do you often communicate with people from different backgrounds (i.e. people of a different nationality, ethnic group, social class, etc.)? Yes
9. How would you describe your online relationships? erm online
10. Do you feel particularly close to your Internet contacts (please explain why or why not)? take everything with a bucket full of salt...and i dont get why people are mean on the internet just cause wer not face to face.....rudeness is rudeness
11. Have you ever met up with, and befriended, someone you communicated with over the Internet? No
12. Have you ever been concerned about online flaming (flaming refers to heated arguments and/or abuse in online message boards/chat rooms/forums)? not personally but my friends have gone on about some random hoo har on this forum or some one on some other forum that annoys them and they bitch and whine and hello its pointless
13. Would you say flaming was one of the major problems of communicating online? No...people are mostly decent
14. Would you say you belong to an online community, or do you think it’s impossible for a group of people who communicate over the Internet to form a community? no its possible....and yeah
15. Do you use Computer Mediated Communications (CMC’s) such as e-mail, instant messaging, and message forums to communicate with your personal, close relationships such as family and friends? Yep
16. Do you feel as close to your family and friends when you are communicated via the Internet/e-mail as you would do in person? yep
17. How many clubs/societies do you belong to? erm........a few
18. Have you ever joined an online protest movement? Yep
19. Have you ever joined any groups which use networking via the Internet to put people in touch with each other (for example, Facebook.com)? Nope
20. Which groups are these? (specify the name(s) of the group(s)) Nope
21. On the whole, would you say using the Internet improves your relationships with other people, or it has no effect on people’s relationships, or does it make you more isolated/alienated from other humans? (select one response) it expands....its an amazing world oh yeah
22. Do you trust people you speak to online? im a contradiction....i dont really trust anyone....blame x files but when i do i do it blindly and too easily for wrong reasons
23. Have you come across someone online who has helped you out in some way (i.e. by giving you advice)? Yep



i agree with shanks.........its amazing how it opens up communication....like i love forums.....my mom gets bored if i talk about films.....she says im too passionate to listen to when i get going and i get obsessed with things.....internet tis good for that.


pinhead-do i look like someone who cares what god thinks
__________________

[stubbornforgey]

I refuse to answer this questionaire cos you may be trying to gather information
to pass on to the aliens who may come down and clone us..

[urgeok]

Is the Internet killing our social lives? :

i think if anything it's providing one (albiet a false one) to people who dont have the skills to have a social life.

[ShankS]

It's good for people who have nothing to do during office hours, all that paid time would just drift away into boredom.

[urgeok]

Originally Posted by ShankS

It's good for people who have nothing to do during office hours, all that paid time would just drift away into boredom.

that is absolutely correct !!

[ShankS]

Originally Posted by urgeok

that is absolutely correct !!

I knew you'd agree :p :D

[urgeok]

Originally Posted by ShankS

I knew you'd agree :p :D

last job i was at - it saved me from losing my mind .. nothing to do for 8 hours a day.
now i'm much busier but my job doesnt allow me to get away from my desk do i still post - when on conference calls, eating lunch, between tasks, etc.


so yeah .. i agree - its often a good time killer.