زمان در اینترنت در خانه، تنهایی و رضایت از زندگی: شواهدی از داده های پانل زمانی دفتر خاطرات

This study uses data collected from adult U.S. residents in 2004 and 2005 to examine whether loneliness and life satisfaction are associated with time spent at home on various Internet activities. Cross-sectional models reveal that time spent browsing the web is positively related to loneliness and negatively related to life satisfaction. Some of the relationships revealed by cross-sectional models persist even when considering the same individuals over time in fixed-effects models that account for time-invariant, individual-level characteristics. Our results vary according to how the time use data were collected, indicating that survey design can have important consequences for research in this area.

As recently as a decade ago, only a fraction of the American population was using the Internet, but today the Internet is no longer a technological novelty. Americans from all walks of life rely on the Internet to communicate with family and friends, conduct business, find information and entertainment, shop, and manage their finances. Social scientists agree that Internet usage has profound effects on various aspects of the social landscape and individual lives (Betroth and McClure, 1998, Broody et al., 2000, DiMaggio et al., 2001, Haythornthwaite and Wellman, 2002 and Katz et al., 2001). However, because of the recency of the Internet phenomenon, our understanding of the implications of Internet use is still developing (DiMaggio et al., 2001). One area in which theoretical debates abound but empirical evidence is limited concerns the psychological outcomes of Internet use. In this study, we seek to contribute to a better understanding of the psychosocial implications of Internet use by presenting recent evidence from panel data to engage questions about the relationships between loneliness, life satisfaction, and time spent on various Internet activities.