DOCSLIB.ORG

The Friend Justifies the Means: How Modern Friendship Is Effected, And

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Friend Justifies the Means: How Modern Friendship Is Effected, And The friend justifies the means: How modern friendship is effected, and affected, by the use of online social networks Sarah Kate Merry Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Information Studies, Aberystwyth University 2014 Declaration and Statements Declaration This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not being concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed ............................................................................... (candidate) Date ............................................................................... Statement 1 This thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by the use of explicit citations; a full reference list is appended. Signed ............................................................................... (candidate) Date ............................................................................... Statement 2 I hereby give consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations. Signed ............................................................................... (candidate) Date ............................................................................... ii Thesis summary This thesis explores UK Internet users’ experiences of creating and maintaining friendships on social networking sites and online communities, with a particular focus on how online friendships compare to and affect participants’ face-to-face social networks. There is a large body of literature regarding online friendship and the use of online social networks. However, significantly less research has been published which focuses on UK- based users or on ‘online-to-offline’ friendships: relationships which begin online and move offline, becoming incorporated into participants’ everyday social circles. This study contributes to the literature in these under-researched areas. The study used a mixed-methods research design: an online questionnaire provided data which facilitated the purposeful selection of participants for face-to-face interviews. Although both quantitative and qualitative methods were used for data collection and analysis, the emphasis of the research is qualitative. Much of the current research into online interaction and friendship has been limited by the use of quantitative methods (Amichai-Hamburger, Kingsbury & Schneider, 2013). The qualitative focus of this research resulted in rich and deep data about participants’ experiences of online friendship. The results show that a significant majority of participants had made new friends on the Internet, and that online communities such as LiveJournal are more likely to foster new friendships than social networking sites such as Facebook. It was clear that online friendships are evaluated and measured in the same way as ‘traditional’ friendships. The migration of online friends into offline, everyday social circles was widely reported, suggesting that it is a frequent occurrence among the wider user population. Additionally, the migration of offline friends into online social networks was described by a number of participants, illustrating the use of online social networks to maintain and sustain offline, everyday friendships. iii Acknowledgements I would like to gratefully acknowledge the support and encouragement I have received from both of my supervisors, Dr Anoush Simon and Professor David Ellis. Anoush, you started me on this journey, for which I cannot thank you enough; you’ve encouraged and enthused me, and bolstered my confidence when I was doubting myself. David, you have challenged and motivated me in equal measure. Your different perspectives have, I hope, made me a better researcher. Thank you both. I feel very lucky to have undertaken this research in the Department of Information Studies at Aberystwyth University. I have been supported and encouraged by everyone who works in DIS: I couldn't have asked for a better home while I worked on this research. This research would not have been possible without the funding received from the Aberystwyth Postgraduate Research Studentship and the University of Wales PhD Studentship. To the people who took part in this research: it really wouldn't have been possible without you. Thank you so much for your enthusiasm about this project, and for sharing your stories with me. Thank you also to the #phdchat community on Twitter and the members of the PhinisheD.org Daily Working Board, who have given me so much support and advice over the past few years. So many special people have cheered me on, and cheered me up, during this journey. If I tried to name them all I would certainly forget some, but the most important (and, coincidentally, the most likely to complain if I forget to mention them) are: The Mammy - you truly are an inspiration. Thank you for everything (especially for the baked care packages!). Martha - thank you for the giggles, the support, and for not dying when you had the chance. (Oh, and for the Hula Hoops.) Monomania bonbon! Pat and Dave - thank you for all your help over the past few years. And for taking E off my hands during the final few months...! Jennie - Thank you for being my sounding board, my drinking companion, and for not complaining too much when I send you a sentence out of context asking why it doesn't work. And for saying that I could almost make you believe that quantitative research can be interesting. And, last but not least, Ian. I really could not have done this without you.* You've picked me up, talked me down, and listened to me blither on about things you have no interest in - and, most importantly, you learned early on which questions you should never ask a PhD student (and nearly always remembered not to ask them). Still not bored. * I was tempted to say that you’re the wind beneath my wings… but, honestly, I can’t even type that with a straight face… iv Dedication In memory of my father, Barry Robert Jones (1939-2010). You taught me that nothing is beyond my reach, that every day is a school day, and how to drink like a Morris dancer. Cheers, Daddy! v Table of Contents Declaration and Statements ................................................................................... ii Thesis summary .................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................. iv Dedication ............................................................................................................. v Table of Contents ................................................................................................. vi List of Figures .................................................................................................... xii List of Tables .................................................................................................... xiii Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... xiv Chapter One Introduction to the Research ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 Rationale for the Study................................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Early inspiration ................................................................................................. 3 1.2 Research Aims and Objectives....................................................................................... 4 1.3 Methods Used ................................................................................................................ 5 1.4 Scope of the Study ......................................................................................................... 5 1.4.1 Types of relationship .......................................................................................... 6 1.4.2 Facebook ............................................................................................................ 7 1.4.3 ‘Virtual’ versus ‘real life’ ................................................................................... 7 1.5 Structure of the Thesis ................................................................................................... 8 Chapter Two A Review of the Literature .................................................................................. 9 2.1 About the Literature ....................................................................................................... 9 2.1.1 The search strategy ............................................................................................. 9 2.1.2 Types of literature ............................................................................................ 10 2.1.3 Sources of literature ......................................................................................... 10 2.1.4 Limitations ....................................................................................................... 10 2.1.4.1 Chronological scope .......................................................................... 11 2.1.4.2 Geographical scope ............................................................................ 11 2.2 Online Social Interaction.............................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Media Nations 2019
    Media nations: UK 2019 Published 7 August 2019 Overview This is Ofcom’s second annual Media Nations report. It reviews key trends in the television and online video sectors as well as the radio and other audio sectors. Accompanying this narrative report is an interactive report which includes an extensive range of data. There are also separate reports for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The Media Nations report is a reference publication for industry, policy makers, academics and consumers. This year’s publication is particularly important as it provides evidence to inform discussions around the future of public service broadcasting, supporting the nationwide forum which Ofcom launched in July 2019: Small Screen: Big Debate. We publish this report to support our regulatory goal to research markets and to remain at the forefront of technological understanding. It addresses the requirement to undertake and make public our consumer research (as set out in Sections 14 and 15 of the Communications Act 2003). It also meets the requirements on Ofcom under Section 358 of the Communications Act 2003 to publish an annual factual and statistical report on the TV and radio sector. This year we have structured the findings into four chapters. • The total video chapter looks at trends across all types of video including traditional broadcast TV, video-on-demand services and online video. • In the second chapter, we take a deeper look at public service broadcasting and some wider aspects of broadcast TV. • The third chapter is about online video. This is where we examine in greater depth subscription video on demand and YouTube.
    [Show full text]
  • Judging You by the Company You Keep: Dating on Social Networking
    Judging You by the Company You Keep: Dating on Social Networking Sites Adeline Lee, Amy Bruckman College of Computing/GVU Center Georgia Institute of Technology 85 5th Street, Atlanta, GA 30332 [email protected]; [email protected] ABSTRACT functionality, and concepts that may explain SNS dating behavior This study examines dating strategies in Social Networking Sites such as identity, self-representation and social capital. While there (SNS) and the features that help participants achieve their dating are many SNS today, the study data come from two well- goals. Qualitative data suggests the SNS feature, the friends list, established sites with critical mass and widespread popularity: plays a prominent role in finding potential dates, verifying Friendster and MySpace. credibility, and validating ongoing relationship commitment levels. Observations of how study participants use the friends list 1.1 Friends List: My Friends are Top Friends may provide design implications for social networking sites The friends list is the public display of one’s entire social network interested in facilitating romantic connection among their users. in which the connections are reciprocated. A friends list can be More broadly, this research shows how subtle user-interface comprised of hundreds of friends, but only a subset of these design choices in social computing software can have a profound friends appear on the front page of a member’s profile. This effect on non-trivial activities like finding a life partner. selective display of friends is called “My Friends” in Friendster (Figure 1) and “Top Friends” in MySpace (Figure 2). For Categories and Subject Descriptors simplicity, we refer to the selective display as Top Friends for H.5 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: Group and either site.
    [Show full text]
  • What Is Social Network Analysis?
    Scott, John. "Key concepts and measures." What is Social Network Analysis?. London: Bloomsbury Academic, 2012. 31–56. The 'What is?' Research Methods Series. Bloomsbury Collections. Web. 4 Oct. 2021. <http://dx.doi.org/10.5040/9781849668187.ch-003>. Downloaded from Bloomsbury Collections, www.bloomsburycollections.com, 4 October 2021, 00:35 UTC. Copyright © John Scott 2012. You may share this work for non-commercial purposes only, provided you give attribution to the copyright holder and the publisher, and provide a link to the Creative Commons licence. 3 Key concepts and measures Chapter 2 traced the history of social network analysis through the three broad mathematical approaches that have domi- nated the field: graph theory, algebraic approaches and spatial approaches. In this chapter I will first consider the principal methods of data collection for social network analysis, and I will then outline and define, in sequence, the key concepts and measures associated with each mathematical approach consid- ered in Chapter 2. I will suggest that graph theory provides the formal framework common to all these approaches. I will not present highly technical definitions, as these are more appropri- ate to the various handbooks of social network analysis (Scott 2012; Degenne and Forsé 1994; Prell 2012). Having done this, I will set out some of the statistical procedures used in assessing the validity of network measures in actual situations. 31 32 What is social network analysis? Collecting network data Relational data for social network analysis can be collected through a variety of methods. These include asking questions about the choice of friends, observing patterns of interaction, and compiling information on organisational memberships from printed directories.
    [Show full text]
  • How Differences Between Online and Offline Interaction Influence Social
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Two social lives: How differences between online and offline interaction influence social outcomes 1 2 Alicea Lieberman and Juliana Schroeder For hundreds of thousands of years, humans only Facebook users,75% ofwhom report checking the platform communicated in person, but in just the past fifty years they daily [2]. Among teenagers, 95% report using smartphones have started also communicating online. Today, people and 45%reportbeingonline‘constantly’[2].Thisshiftfrom communicate more online than offline. What does this shift offline to online socializing has meaningful and measurable mean for human social life? We identify four structural consequences for every aspect of human interaction, from differences between online (versus offline) interaction: (1) fewer how people form impressions of one another, to how they nonverbal cues, (2) greater anonymity, (3) more opportunity to treat each other, to the breadth and depth of their connec- form new social ties and bolster weak ties, and (4) wider tion. The current article proposes a new framework to dissemination of information. Each of these differences identify, understand, and study these consequences, underlies systematic psychological and behavioral highlighting promising avenues for future research. consequences. Online and offline lives often intersect; we thus further review how online engagement can (1) disrupt or (2) Structural differences between online and enhance offline interaction. This work provides a useful offline interaction
    [Show full text]
  • Lasting-Love-At-Last-By-Amari-Ice.Pdf
    Lasting Love at Last The Gay Guide to Attracting the Relationship of Your Dreams By Amari Ice 2 Difference Press McLean, Virginia, USA Copyright © Amari Ice, 2017 Difference Press is a trademark of Becoming Journey, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages in reviews. Published 2017 ISBN: 978-1-68309-218-6 DISCLAIMER No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical or electronic, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, or transmitted by email without permission in writing from the author. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions, or contrary interpretations of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slight of any individual or organization is purely unintentional. Brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Cover Design: Jennifer Stimson Editing: Grace Kerina Author photo courtesy of Donta Hensley (photographer), Jay Lautner (editor) 3 To My Love: Thank you for being unapologetically and unwaveringly you, and for being a captive audience for my insatiably playful antics. #IKeep 4 Table of Contents Foreword 6 A Note About the #Hashtags 8 Introduction – Tardy for the Relationship Party 9 Chapter 1 – #OnceUponATime 16 Chapter 2 – What’s Mercury Got to Do with It? 23 Section 1 – Preparing: The Realm of #RelationshipRetrograde 38 Chapter
    [Show full text]
  • Early Adolescent Perceptions Regarding Sources of Sexual Health Information
    EARLY ADOLESCENT PERCEPTIONS REGARDING SOURCES OF SEXUAL HEALTH INFORMATION By KYLEA K. SHOEMAKER Ed.S., Emporia State University, 2004 M.S., Emporia State University, 2003 B.S., Emporia State University, 2002 Submitted to the graduate degree program in Therapeutic Science and the Graduate Faculty of the University of Kansas in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA (Co-Chair) Jeff Radel, PhD (Co-Chair) Scott D. Tomchek, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA Kristin Stegenga, PhD, RN, CPON Wanda Bonnel, PhD, ARNP Louann Rinner, MSEd, OTR/L July 10, 2017 Date Defended The Dissertation Committee for Kylea K. Shoemaker certifies that this is the approved version of the following dissertation: EARLY ADOLESCENT PERCEPTIONS REGARDING SOURCES OF SEXUAL HEALTH INFORMATION Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA (Co-Chair) Jeff Radel, PhD (Co-Chair) July 17, 2017 Date Approved ii Abstract Early adolescence includes youth approximately 11-14 years of age. This age group represents a population open to learning more information about sexuality and signifies a developmental period where effective sexuality interventions may begin (Ott & Pfieffer, 2009; Grossman et al., 2014). Early adolescence is a critical period when adolescents’ initial views on sexuality are formed. Influencing early adolescent sexual health attitude and behaviors are many sources of information, including parents, peer groups, teachers, and media sources (Batchelor et al., 2004; Grossman et al., 2014; Sennott & Mollborn, 2011; Secor-Turner et al., 2011). Literature focusing on older adolescents (Mollborn & Sennott, 2015; Secor-Turner et al., 2011) may not adequately convey information that is relevant to early adolescents, as sexual health and informational needs may differ.
    [Show full text]
  • Live, Laugh, Limerence
    Live, Laugh, Limerence An Opera Buffa in four acts Libretto by Marijke De Roover 2019 De Roover’s introductory notes: The performance needs the ​ naturalism of the text. All characters exist all at once all as one. The landscape in which the experience is set could be a metropolitan studio apartment, an AA meeting, a deep dream or a dead star (more chance of it being a karaoke booth tbh). The I in the text is collective, the time suggestive. The simultaneity of the four parts of the text can be portrayed any which way. Me to me: You have a responsibility towards your audience. ​ Please keep all the ducks in a row! The ducks: 1 CAST OF CHARACTERS When reading this story out loud, please use the following voices: ELETTRA: fast-paced, sweet, melodic. LOTTE (V.O.): distant but sensitive, straight forward. TURANDOT (V.O.): wild but judgemental (but their friendship is like this). → darlin’, this kind of love is not viable (I can just see it with this fat american country accent lol) Or (Marilyn is so sweet and Jane is much more rough/tough) NARRATOR (V.O.): voice of god (distant), ironic, calm ​. 2 SCENES PROLOGUE: IN WHICH THE NARRATOR EXPRESSES HER DOUBTS ACT ONE: THE DAY I STOPPED DRINKING I BECAME A PLAYWRIGHT THAT JUST SITS IN COFFEE BARS Which introduces us to the tragedy and its Scene 1:​ ​ protagonist A brief encounter Scene 2:​ ​ I took a deep breath and listened to the old bray Scene 3:​ ​ of my heart. I am. I am. I am A realistic portrayal of someone using love as an Scene 4:​ ​ escapist drug ACT TWO: A KISS.
    [Show full text]
  • Gossip and Friendship on a College Campus 1
    GOSSIP AND FRIENDSHIP ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS 1 Being in the know: Social network analysis of gossip and friendship on a college campus Meltem Yucel* University of Virginia, Psychology Department, Charlottesville (VA), USA Gustav R. Sjobeck University of Virginia, Psychology Department, Charlottesville (VA), USA Rebecca Glass Widener University, Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology (IGCP), Chester (PA), USA Joshua Rottman Franklin & Marshall College, Psychology and Scientific & Philosophical Studies of Mind, Lancaster (PA), USA Forthcoming Human Nature *Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Meltem Yucel, Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, West Complex, CDW 2574, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA. Email: [email protected] GOSSIP AND FRIENDSHIP ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS 2 Declarations Funding Source: This work was supported by Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology and the Franklin & Marshall College Committee on Grants. Conflicts of interest/Competing interests: None. Availability of data and material: All data and scripts for this study are available at: https://osf.io/95q82/ Ethics approval: The questionnaire and methodology for this study was approved by the Human Research Ethics committee of the Franklin & Marshall College, on 02/07/2017 for the application #R_z8tMp5lSWgH7STL. Consent to participate: Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable Acknowledgements: We would like to thank all participants; Psi Chi, The International Honor Society in Psychology, for their support to Meltem Yucel; and the Franklin & Marshall College Committee on Grants for funding to Rebecca Glass. We would also like to thank Allan Clifton for his very generous guidance with the study, and Alex Christensen for their guidance with statistical analyses.
    [Show full text]
  • Geeks» Classe : Seconde Niveau De Compétences: A2→B1 ENTREE
    GORUSUK Elisa – 2nde - SYNOPSIS SCENARIO PEDAGOGIQUE – «Geeks» Classe : Seconde ENTREE CULTURELLE: L’ART DE VIVRE ENSEMBLE Nombre de Niveau de compétences: A2→B1 Notions: Sentiment d’appartenance (singularités et solidarités) / Visions d’avenir (créations et adaptations) séances : 9 PROBLEMATIQUE : To what extent does social media change our daily lives ? TACHE(s) FINALE(s) possible(s) : You are a pollster investigating about the use of the Internet by teenagers. Prepare a survey for the teenagers of your high school and make a report, analysing the results. AL dominante et descripteur CECRL: PE (Rapport) B1 Peut résumer avec une certaine assurance une source d’informations factuelles sur des sujets familiers courants et non courants dans son domaine, en faire le rapport et donner son opinion. Domaine(s) : ☐ Public ☐ Privé ☐ Professionnel ☐ Educationnel Micro-tâche(s) : PE : Activité : Writing workshop You are launching an awareness campaign higlighting the dangers of the Internet. You want to use the song by Placebo, « Too Many Friends », in your video clip. You write a letter to ask for the band’s permission and explain your reasons (150-180 words) POI : Role Play : Your grandmother/ grandfather wants to use one of the apps featured in the cartoon. You explain to her what you can do with it and how to use it. Imagine your conversation. Evaluation formative PE : You are a group of pollsters investigating about bad tech habits among teenagers. Analyse the results of your polls and prepare a written account. Activités CO : Peut comprendre une information factuelle directe sur des sujets de la vie quotidienne ou relatifs au travail en langagières & reconnaissant les messages généraux et les points de détail, à condition que l’articulation soit claire et l’accent courant.
    [Show full text]
  • The 'Friend Zone': a World Away from Boyfriend-Dom
    The ‘Friend Zone’: A world away from boyfriend-dom by: Joe Guerricabeitia Introduction Male/female relationships are by their very nature complicated. The innate desires of sexuality automatically bring forth considerations of attraction and desire. Both men and women have a tendency to size-up and categorize a person almost immediately based on their own rules of attraction, often without realization. Old adages about the importance of first impressions abound and in the world of relationships (big ‘R’ or small ‘r’) these are ever important. Assessments are made and labels applied. In contemporary American society this emphasis on first impressions and compatibility has played out in the ever-popular business of speed-dating. In this burgeoning multi-million dollar business, people actually pay to spend a kwality1 2-5 minutes with a person before pushing off and moving on to the next potential match. All of this in the name of love! In this author’s opinion such frivolity abounds in the world of relationships and yet such efforts point to the overwhelming desire, and simultaneous frustration in coupling up. The richest, smartest, most attractive and most powerful people often fail in these endeavors, so ¿how can we, as the millions of twenty-something’s in American society hope to fare any better? Especially, when we have much less time, money and other resources at our disposal. If I had the answer, I wouldn’t be sitting here, writing in a windowless, cinderblock laboratory, avoiding the work before me. Instead I would be enjoying the company of someone wonderful, all the while telling the world what I knew in the hope that more people could find that which is most often described as true love2.
    [Show full text]
  • Connected by Music Dear Friends of the School of Music
    sonorities 2021 The News Magazine of the University of Illinois School of Music Connected by Music Dear Friends of the School of Music, Published for the alumni and friends of the ast year was my first as director of the school and as a member School of Music at the University of Illinois at of the faculty. It was a year full of surprises. Most of these Urbana-Champaign. surprises were wonderful, as I was introduced to tremendously The School of Music is a unit of the College of Lcreative students and faculty, attended world-class performances Fine + Applied Arts and has been an accredited on campus, and got to meet many of you for the first time. institutional member of the National Association Nothing, however, could have prepared any of us for the of Schools of Music since 1933. changes we had to make beginning in March 2020 with the onset of COVID-19. Kevin Hamilton, Dean of the College of Fine + These involved switching our spring and summer programs to an online format Applied Arts with very little notice and preparing for a fall semester in which some of our activi- Jeffrey Sposato, Director of the School of Music ties took place on campus and some stayed online. While I certainly would never Michael Siletti (PhD ’18), Editor have wished for a year with so many challenges, I have been deeply impressed by Design and layout by Studio 2D the determination, dedication, and generosity of our students, faculty, alumni, and On the cover: Members of the Varsity Men’s Glee friends.
    [Show full text]
  • Waukesha County Opioid Guide
    OPIOIDS & HEROIN WAUKESHA COUNTY INFORMATION GUIDE OPIATE & HEROIN GUIDE Waukesha County Drug Free Communities The purpose of this booklet is to provide information about addiction and the opioid/heroin epidemic, as well as relevant resources for residents of Waukesha County. From foundational addiction education, to personal stories of struggle and success, to important local and national resources, we hope that you will benefit from the information contained within these pages. Elevate and the Waukesha Drug Free Communities assumes no liability for damages arising from errors, omissions, or services listed on this toolkit. The Task Force does not recommend or endorse any provider, agency, or resource listed here. The toolkit is solely for the information of individuals impacted by opiates/heroin in Waukesha County and is a collection of publicly listed information assembled here for the benefit of the community at the request of concerned citizens. 2 OPIATE & HEROIN GUIDE Waukesha County Drug Free Communities Table of Contents Shari’s Story 4 Why Would My Child Use Drugs? 6 Commonly Abused Prescription Medications 7 Consequences of Prescription Medication Abuse 8 Effects During Pregnancy 9 What Caregivers and Educators Should Know 10 Heroin is Part of a Larger Problem 11 Access to Medication 12 Factors That Can Increase the Chance of Addiction 13 Signs to Look For 14 Steps to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse 15 Phil’s Story 16 If You Suspect Your Loved One 18 Things to Know 19 If You Suspect an Overdose 20 Dos and Dont’s in Responding
    [Show full text]