Lozar Manfreda, Katja, Valentina Hlebec, Vasja Vehovar

SOCIAL NETWORKS OF INTENSIVE INTERNET USERS

Abstract

A great amount of contemporary research is oriented towards the social impact of the Internet on the lives of ordinary citizens. Researchers are discussing whether the Internet is improving or harming the participation in community life and social relationships. The proposed paper will contribute to the debate regarding the impact of the Internet on everyday life. This study was conducted with an innovative research approach since Internet users are studied through their ego-centered social networks. Within a Web survey of Internet users in Slovenia (as a part of the RIS - Research on Internet in Slovenia project, http://www.ris.org, conducted at the University of Ljubljana) ego-centered networks of intensive Internet users were measured. Respondents were randomly split into four groups. Each group received a name generator for one type of social support: material, informational, emotional support or social companionship. Each respondent also received a set of questions regarding the alters for each alter they named. Data collection was performed from June to September 2001. Roughly 250 respondents answered the Web questionnaire for each type of social support. Data collected in this way allows estimating the size and structure of the ego-centered networks of intensive Internet users. Preliminary analysis shows that the structure of their social networks in some respects differs from the structure of networks of people from the general population. The differences are shown through different types of social support. Specifically, the media for communication with the members of their networks are changed with the Internet gaining an important role.