Media use and relational closeness in long-term friendships

Interpreting patterns of multimodality

Dados Bibliográficos

ID12656342
AutoresAndrew M Ledbetter (0000-0001-8681-2242, University of Kansas, autor correspondente)
Ano2008
Volume10
Fascículo4
Páginas547-564
Data de publicação2008-07-31
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoNew Media & Society (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1461-4448 • E-ISSN: 1461-7315
EditoraSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/1461444808091224
OpenAlexW2171792135
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas15
Referências citadas26

Although most friendships use a variety of media to stay in touch, many studies have ignored the multimodality of social life. This study uses media niche theory to consider: changes in patterns of media use across time, which modalities tend to be used in association with other modalities; and the association between specific modalities and relational closeness. Data assessing modality usage and degree of friendship closeness were collected on best friendship pairs in 1987 and 2002. The results suggest that postal mail use has declined between 1987 and 2002, telephone contact has become a particularly potent predictor of relational closeness, and face-to-face contact is a less stable indicator of closeness. Intimacy and efficiency or convenience emerge as two potentially important constructs for understanding how modalities are used for maintaining relational closeness

Association (psychology · Closeness · Friendship · Modalities · Modality (human–computer interaction · Multimodality · Psychotherapist · Social science · Sociology · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Mathematics · Psychology · Social Psychology · Team Dynamics and Performance · Artificial Intelligence