Television Versus The Internet: Which Serves As A Better Socializing Tool? US Survey
Television was always known as a common socializing tool – keeping family members together in a shared activity.
The Internet today is perceived as a contributing tool to improve family and friends connections – we find many internet users (in married with children households) to share online time together.
Information source: the recently released Pew Internet survey conducted January 2008, among a sample of 2,252 adults, aged 18 and older.
Watching Television habits:
- Among those who watch TV (Note that 74% of the adults surveyed watch TV almost every day), more than half (52%) usually do so socially—with other people (63% for those living in multi-person households).
Internet as the ultimate tool for socializing:
Perceptions:
- 79% of online adults admit that the internet has improved their connections with friends to some degree (33% report a major improvement)
- 72% online users report that the internet has improved their connections to family members (23% report a major improvement).
Behavior:
Many internet-using adults spend appreciable time at the computer with household members. Among home internet users who live with a spouse and child/children:
- 13% go online with another person on a daily basis
- 9% do so almost every day
- 30% do so a few times a week.
- 34% do so less often.
In sum, nearly nine in ten (86%) home internet users in married with children households go online with another person in the home at least occasionally.
This online social trend overcomes television as a socializing tool.
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October 29th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I never considered tv a socializing tool but more of a broadcast tool. i suppose there are several way to look at this though. television CAN be considered a social activity with friend/family watching the same show together, sporting event etc. but it’s limited to a “device.” the internet does not suffer from such limitations and thus allows for great socialization.
not only that but the internet allows for sharing of information, data, photos, etc. television does not allow for sharing.
by 2 cent,
Jacob
October 29th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
wow i realized that instead of my 2 cents i said “by 2 cent” i need sleep… 🙂
October 31st, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Neither one nor the other. They’re both good for socializing.
TV is like the meetup.com of the internet
Youtube is like the Youtube of the internet
:o)
– Scott from http://venturedig.com
November 3rd, 2008 at 5:42 am
Nothing can stop communication. Even the tech that’s designed to be used on one’s own results in sociable interactions. We get into conversations about our iPod playlists, cyclists band together … actually, I’m sure a lot of people buy iPhones mostly because they want to have something new to talk about, rather than just something new to communicate with.
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