By Chong Jia Chi (46521)
There is no question that Internet already plays a huge influence in all aspect of our life. With the easy access to the Internet such as the invention of the smartphone, it is making the communication among people more rapid and transmitted virtually immediately throughout the globe. In other words, it enable an always ‘online’ communication between people, 24/7 without end.
There is no question that Internet already plays a huge influence in all aspect of our life. With the easy access to the Internet such as the invention of the smartphone, it is making the communication among people more rapid and transmitted virtually immediately throughout the globe. In other words, it enable an always ‘online’ communication between people, 24/7 without end.
However, does this
revolution really change the nature of interpersonal communication? Indeed, the
basic nature of people’s relationships with others may have changed but in
another point of view, Internet may be a new way for people to do old things
too. Internet may become a new and useful tool associated with electronic
communication and led to a pattern changes in life, yet, the social patterns of
social life have remained very much the same despite of those Internet-induced
changes (Tyler, 2002). It seems more likely an innovative way to manage long-standing
social problems and needs than a transformation technology that changed the
patterns of interpersonal communication (Tyler, 2002).
As many researchers stated
that digital communication leads to weaker social ties because people have
less reason to leave their home and conduct a face-to-face interaction with
others. It allows everything become easily work with no matter to form and
maintain friendship, online banking, doing discussion and many more. Nonetheless,
there is a group of researchers who directly pointed out that the psychological
quality of Internet social interaction is lower than face-to-face interaction (Tyler,
2002). The relationships that develop through Internet are actually close,
meaningful and long lasting, with those develop relationships in Internet,
people bring into the real world and show how self-concept and social identity
play a crucial role in this process.
Moreover, a study that was done by Gross, Juvonen and Gable toward adolescent is they are actually use
Internet like telephone instead of using it as an opportunity to try different
personality and identity. The study found out that Internet communication is
very similar to “traditional means of youth social interaction” (Tyler, 2002). In
fact, the use of the Internet does not shape any psychological happiness in any
way that is different from other modalities in terms of the influence of social
interaction
Thus, Internet provides
people with a platform that allows people to engage in activities that they already
had way to participate in but it offer them with some added efficiency and
opportunities to improve their interaction in order to meet their needs. There is
nothing significantly different about the Internet that transforms basic psychological
or social life.
Although Internet might
change the nature of work and social relationships but if we look in another
perspectives, it seems the more things change, the more they stay the same.
Reference
Tyler, T. R. (2002). Is the Internet changing social life? It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Journal of Social Issues, 58(1), 195-205.
Tyler, T. R. (2002). Is the Internet changing social life? It seems the more things change, the more they stay the same. Journal of Social Issues, 58(1), 195-205.
Hi Jia Chi, thank you for writing on a very relevant topic. It is really difficult to give just one answer or present one view for this topic. While I agree that the Internet totally change our social life to a certain extent, it has both the good and bad side.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I think we can save time when it comes to completing group assignments. I especially like the application of Google Doc where all my group members can upload their work on one single document where everyone can give feedback regardless of time and place.
Secondly, it helps us bridge the distance between people who are far away from us, like our family members and friends. I personally use social media sites to connect with my close friends as most of them are overseas or in the Penisular and that's how our bonds grow closer. We share videos together, chat for hours and just build our friendship along the way.
But then as everything has both sides to it, I must admit that sometimes I prefer to communicate through computer mediated communication because it is more relaxed and I actually get to process what I need to say or write beforehand. Hence this also means I tend to be occupied with my phone or thoughts most of the time.
I really hope I can use Internet to the fullest in my communication with others.
Thank you for your reply Joyce. As you mentioned above where Internet is become one of an efficient communication that used nowadays, there are nothing change but only change in the concept,the way of communicate. However, we do need to aware of Internet in identifying where is the limit of it.
DeleteThanks Jia Chi, All in all, it seems that the Internet has both its good and bad sides – all we have to do is to learn how to combine our social life in the real, “offline” world with the time spent on the Internet. Social sites are good, but we have to know when to stop, to lift our heads from the phone or tablet and to just start living the “real life".
ReplyDeleteThank you Patrick for your reply. I agree with you that we need to know where is the limit of it so that Internet only can be use to the fullest.
DeleteThank you Jia Chi for your opinion. Indeed Internet is changing the social life of the people. I do agree that I depend on Internet for social purpose especially to interact with my family members and friends. However, sometimes I am too dependent on it until there will be a time that we use such medium to chat rather than communicating face- to- face. The worse is that we tend to ignore our friends and family members and thus affect the relationships if we too focus on the Internet.
ReplyDeleteThank You Esther. Same with you, i also encountered the same situation where i depend on Internet to communicate with someone instead of using face-to-face communication. However, i will try to control myself when comes to interact with friends and family members. I will try to meet them as much as i can when i am free because nothing is better than communicate directly.
DeleteAloha~Thanks for your contribution, Jia Chi
ReplyDeleteIt is obvious to observe that the internet is changing our social life. There are many existence of new concept and theory such as Computer Mediated Communication and Social Information Processing theory. It shows that the internet created the new way of communication and many researchers studied about this. The changes can be good and bad. I personally think that it changes my social life and I think it makes me more convenient to manage relationship.
Agree with you Jessie, same with you, i am also found Internet as one of a new way to communicate with people. In another side, what we need to be aware is that although Internet can help in our communication with people but still, face-to-face communication is still the efficient way for us to communicate with people. Just the platform is different.
DeleteGood day to you, Jia Chi. Thank you for your sharing about the relationship between the Internet and our social life. I agreed with your statement about the more things change, the more things remain the same. In our social life, it is easily to find out that the underlying fundamentals still remain unchanged. Although the Internet gives us various new and exciting communication channels such as Social Networking Sites as a platform for people to connect with each others, people still practice and value the face-to-face communication as it is recognized as the most traditional communication way. In conclusion, it is undeniably that the advanced technologies have changed us a lots, but the core of the social life still stays the same.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with you Sok Fern, although our life can be said "control" by Internet nowadays but actually people still perceived face-to-face communication as a more meaningful way to communicate with people.
DeleteThanks Jia Chi, for me, social network and social life can be completely different. Social network, we use high technology and feeling excited, updated while we are connecting with our friends or online friends. But for social life, it is real, raw that we have to use our own nature and technique to communicate and bond. Verbal and non verbal communication are fully utilized. Hence, while we are on social network, we should always appreciate the basic of social life by heart.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply Winnie, i agree with you that we should always appreciate the basic of social life by heart because it is our fundamental of life and the most meaningful way when communicating with people.
DeleteHi Jia Chi,
ReplyDeleteits really interesting topic. Yes. for me, that kind of topic title "is it Internet changing the social life'?. We as the user already knowing it. No matter how we want to says that "I suppose not to use this kind of things" but remember this the more we use the more we addicted. Use it for good/relevant things that's will more help us how to be professional users in the future life.
Thanks Ruzimah. Yes, we need to use Internet in a good way so that it is help us to improve our quality of life instead of ruin it
DeleteHai Jia Chi. Pada pendapat saya pengguna yang menentukan hal tersebut. Jadi pengguna perlu bijak supaya tidak dipengaruhi oleh internet dan menggunakan internet dengan betul agar tidak mengubah kehidupan realiti.
ReplyDeleteHai Jia Chi. For me, yes, I think internet has change our social life. But, it is depends on the situation and the person itself. We can choose whatever we want. As technology nowadays is very high standard and unique, I can't denied that me myself has change a lot, waste a lot time in order to keep update with virtual community. But, again.. I choose to be balance.. I'm not addicted and I'm not too 'ketinggalan zaman'. I just follow the flow and I hope internet akan menjadikan manusia lebih proaktif pada masa yang akan datang.. Hehehhee. Nice sharing girls~
ReplyDeleteHi, Aini. Yes, I do agree with you that it is depends on user because he or she is the person who know how they use Internet and use it in what way. Moreover, balance in both real life and virtual society is also one of a homework that everyone of us as a Internet users should be aware of.
Delete