INTERNET, SOCIAL CAPITAL, HAPPINESS. WHO, WHAT AND WHY OBTAIN BENEFITS USING THE INTERNET?

• Authors: Skarzynska K. , Henne K.
• Languages of publication: PL

Abstracts

EN

There is a debate in the literature concerning psychological and social effects of the Internet usage. A question is raised if this medium helps developing social contacts and building social support networks (enhance building social capital), increases psychological well-being, or the contrary - destroys social networks, lowers social trust, and makes people less happy (Putnam, 1995; 2000; Wellman et al., 2001; Kraut et al., 2002).Analysis, presented in this article, are based on the data of the representative Polish sample, gathered in the 'Social Diagnosis 2003' project. Three groups were compared. Two of them were created upon the criterion of intensity and length of the Internet usage. The third group consisted of those who don't use this medium at all. Influence of socio-demographic variables (such as: age, sex, education, place of residence, income) were also controlled.Results show that those who use the Internet, comparing to those who do not, have more sense of happiness, more friends, and declare more sense of social support. Moreover, the longer period of the Internet usage, the higher level of declared sense of happiness and social capital.

Keywords

EN

HAPPINESS; INTERNET USE; PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING; SOCIAL CAPITAL

Discipline

• PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCHOLOGY

• Publisher: Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of Sciences jointly with the Committee on Psychological Sciences of the Polish Academy of Sciences
• Journal: Kolokwia Psychologiczne (Psychological Colloquia)
• Year: 2005
• Volume: 13
• Pages: 171-186
• Document type: ARTICLE

Contributors

author

Skarzynska K.

author

Henne K.

• K. Skarzynska, Instytut Psychologii PAN, ul. Chodakowska 19/31, 03-815 Warszawa, Poland

Identifiers

CEJSH db identifier

06PLAAAA00942181