[Air-l] Internet Paradox Revisited

[Reinhold Grether]

Kraut, R., Kiesler,S., Boneva, B., Cummings, J.,
Helgeson, V. & Crawford, A. (In press). Journal of
Social Issues.

Kraut et al. (1998) reported small but reliable
negative effects of using the Internet on measures
of social involvement and psychological well-being
among new Internet users in 1995-1996. We called
the effects a “paradox” because participants used
the Internet heavily for communication, which
generally has positive effects. A 3-year follow-up of
the original sample found that negative effects
dissipated. We also report findings from a
longitudinal study in 1998-99 of new computer and
television purchasers. This sample experienced
overall positive effects of using the Internet on
communication, social involvement, and well-being.
Consistent with a “rich get richer” model, the
Internet generally predicted better outcomes for
extraverts and those with more social support but
worse outcomes for introverts or those with less
support. 

You can request a preprint of this paper by sending
email to marilyn.jameson at cs.cmu.edu.

<http://homenet.andrew.cmu.edu/progress/research.html>


Glad to see us all that happy,
Reinhold Grether
<http://www.netzwissenschaft.com/>