The Impact of the Internet on Society: Why You Cannot Believe Sociologists
In 1998 and 2002 in America, sociological research was conducted on how the Internet affects the social life of people. The results of these studies were completely opposite.
In 1998, sociologists discovered that the Internet reduces the social activity of people and causes them to seek isolation. Scientists even talked about the “Internet paradox” because the results of the research seemed to contradict the very nature of the World Wide Web.
In 2002, a similar study was conducted and it turned out that the negative effect of the Internet disappeared. Moreover, there was even a positive effect, as if the Internet had a favorable effect on the ability of people to communicate.
A comparison of these two studies conducted by the same group of scientists in 1998 and 2002 raises the question: could the Internet have changed so much in four years that its impact on society has become completely different?
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We know that the Internet has not changed dramatically over the years. Yes, new programs, new technologies and new sites have appeared, the use of the Web has expanded significantly. But the internet has remained the internet. The same dating sites, forums, chat rooms, IM pagers and email existed long ago. And in 1998, people used it all too freely.
This contradiction can have this explanation: the people who use the Network have changed. Many more people came to the Internet, so the Internet audience in 1998 and 2002 showed radically different properties.
In 1998, the main audience of the Internet were computer scientists and other “geeks” with depressed social skills that were clearly different from ordinary people. They (that is, ours) clearly showed a tendency toward individualism. The Internet was the tool that allowed to communicate with their own kind, whereas in real life such people often preferred to isolate themselves from the surrounding society. Naturally, when studying the Internet audience, sociologists registered this isolation. But they made the wrong conclusion, banal confusing cause and effect. They said that the Internet makes people lonely.
Four years later, the Internet has become much more popular, and technology has become fashionable. The most sociable people, who had previously avoided the World Wide Web, were drawn here, including teenagers in large numbers. Studying the Internet audience has shown that these Internet users are even more sociable than ordinary people. That is, now sociologists can make a completely opposite conclusion.
Well, we can also conclude. One cannot trust sociologists for one hundred percent. They themselves do not always understand what they are researching.
In 1998, sociologists discovered that the Internet reduces the social activity of people and causes them to seek isolation. Scientists even talked about the “Internet paradox” because the results of the research seemed to contradict the very nature of the World Wide Web.
In 2002, a similar study was conducted and it turned out that the negative effect of the Internet disappeared. Moreover, there was even a positive effect, as if the Internet had a favorable effect on the ability of people to communicate.
A comparison of these two studies conducted by the same group of scientists in 1998 and 2002 raises the question: could the Internet have changed so much in four years that its impact on society has become completely different?
')
We know that the Internet has not changed dramatically over the years. Yes, new programs, new technologies and new sites have appeared, the use of the Web has expanded significantly. But the internet has remained the internet. The same dating sites, forums, chat rooms, IM pagers and email existed long ago. And in 1998, people used it all too freely.
This contradiction can have this explanation: the people who use the Network have changed. Many more people came to the Internet, so the Internet audience in 1998 and 2002 showed radically different properties.
In 1998, the main audience of the Internet were computer scientists and other “geeks” with depressed social skills that were clearly different from ordinary people. They (that is, ours) clearly showed a tendency toward individualism. The Internet was the tool that allowed to communicate with their own kind, whereas in real life such people often preferred to isolate themselves from the surrounding society. Naturally, when studying the Internet audience, sociologists registered this isolation. But they made the wrong conclusion, banal confusing cause and effect. They said that the Internet makes people lonely.
Four years later, the Internet has become much more popular, and technology has become fashionable. The most sociable people, who had previously avoided the World Wide Web, were drawn here, including teenagers in large numbers. Studying the Internet audience has shown that these Internet users are even more sociable than ordinary people. That is, now sociologists can make a completely opposite conclusion.
Well, we can also conclude. One cannot trust sociologists for one hundred percent. They themselves do not always understand what they are researching.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/4355/
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