The Impact Of Digital Communications On Relationships

Question 1

Positive- Granovetter

Answer 1

States that the strength of ties between two people can be judged by examining: the amount of time spent together, the emotional intensity of the relationship, the level of intimacy and the degree of reciprocity
Strong ties - close friends
Weak ties - acquaintances
Weak ties are just as important as strong ties as they sometimes lead to connections between members of networks - they connect people whom they may not have many commonalities with therefore helping increase their social network

Question 2

Positive- Zhao

Answer 2

Suggests that the use of internet activities that involve helping people connect - have positive effects on the social ties which can strengthen relationships between people . This is as opposed to more individual activities
Having a range of different types of social media

Question 3

Positive- Kraut et al

Answer 3

Critiques research in the 1919s suggested the internet was having a negative impact on people’s relationships as they found out the internet played a key role in helping to maintain and developed social ties

Question 4

Negative - Turkle

Answer 4

Alone together- with people in reality but hyper connected on devices , we are not interacting / connecting on a deeper level like we used to
Goldilocks effect - we use social media at just the right level for us - opt in and out of social interactions - conversations in reality and use social media to distract or entertain us when we any to opt out
Detrimental effect on offline - impacting offline relationships negatively - links to social dilemma - social media impacting levels and addictive behaviour

Question 5

Negative - Miller

Answer 5

Global research - cross cultural comparison - discovery 14 - Kermit the frog meme - joking way of showing something serious - Facebook can remove privacy - create rifts in relationships - checking each others messages - partner - breaking up marriages - Facebook

Question 6

Negative - Shaw and Gant

Answer 6

Positive impacts of social media - decreases levels of loneliness and depression - example older people stay connected in Covid - not specifically talking about older people - portal devices - targeted older people
Suggested that social media use can have a negative impact on social relationships that stated the over use of social media has a correlation with the development of depression and loneliness