The explosive and rapid transformation of the Internet from curiosity to ubiquity over a period of less than two decades has dramatically changed how we connect, interact and relate. This stunning transformation that technology has brought to the interpersonal aspects of our lives is absolutely evident in matters of the heart.
As we learn through EurekAlert, a lecture recently presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association in Atlanta points to a surprisingly strong link between having Internet access at home and whether or not one is involved in a romantic relationship. Michael J. Rosenfeld, Stanford University sociologist, indicated in his talk that based on a survey of 4,000 adults, 82 percent of those with Internet access were married or romantically involved, compared to 63 percent of those lacking Internet access.
“Although prior research on the social impacts of Internet use has been rather ambiguous about the social cost of time spent online, our research suggests that Internet access has an important role to play in helping Americans find mates,” Rosenfeld explains.
He adds:
“With the meteoric rise of the Internet as a way couples have met in the past few years, and the concomitant recent decline in the central role of friends, it is possible that in the next several years the Internet could eclipse friends as the most influential way Americans meet their romantic partners, displacing friends out of the top position for the first time since the early 1940s.”
The study finds that the role of the Internet in helping to foster connections is especially beneficial for members of groups where potential partners are hard to find, especially for middle-aged heterosexuals and gays and lesbians. The survey found that more than 60 percent of same-sex couples met online compared to about 20 percent for heterosexual couples.
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