Online and Offline Networks: Emerging Adults’ Use of Social Networking Sites

Kaveri Subrahmanyam, S. M. Reich, N. Waechter, G. Espinoza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Social networking sites (e.g., MySpace and Facebook) are popular online communication forms among adolescents and emerging adults. Yet little is known about young people's activities on these sites and how their networks of "friends" relate to their other online (e.g., instant messaging) and offline networks. In this study, college students responded, in person and online, to questions about their online activities and closest friends in three contexts: social networking sites, instant messaging, and face-to-face. Results showed that participants often used the Internet, especially social networking sites, to connect and reconnect with friends and family members. Hence, there was overlap between participants' online and offline networks. However, the overlap was imperfect; the pattern suggested that emerging adults may use different online contexts to strengthen different aspects of their offline connections. Information from this survey is relevant to concerns about young people's life online. (Contains 4 figures and 5 tables.)

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)420-433
Number of pages14
JournalJournal of Applied Developmental Psychology
Volume29
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2008
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • online communication
  • interconnection
  • intimacy
  • friend networks
  • emerging adults

Disciplines

  • Psychology

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