Nonrecursive Models of Internet Use and Community Engagement

Questioning Whether Time Spent Online Erodes Social Capital

Dados Bibliográficos

ID23323484
AutoresDhavan V Shah (0000-0001-5034-2816, University of Wisconsin–Madison), Dhavan Shah (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Michael Schmierbach (0000-0002-2765-2602, University of Wisconsin–Madison), Joshua Hawkins (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Rodolfo Espino (University of Wisconsin–Madison), Janet Donavan (0000-0002-7579-551X, University of Wisconsin–Madison)
Ano2002
Volume79
Fascículo4
Páginas964-987
Data de publicação2002-12-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoJournalism & Mass Communication Quarterly (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 1077-6990 • E-ISSN: 2161-430X
EditoraSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/107769900207900412
OpenAlexW1976876938
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas64

Although some argue that Internet use may erode involvement in public life, the most common Internet behaviors, social communication and information searching, may actually foster social and civic participation. To examine this possibility, we test a series of non-recursive models using a national survey of nearly 3,400 respondents. Two-stage least squares regressions were performed to simultaneously test the reciprocal relationship between frequency of Internet use (i.e., hours per day) and three sets of community engagement behaviors: informal social interaction, attendance at public events, and participation in civic volunteerism (i.e., annual frequency). Time spent online has a positive relationship with public attendance and civic volunteerism. No evidence of time displacement from frequency of Internet use is observed.

Attendance · Church attendance · Civic engagement · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Social capital · Social engagement · Social science · Sociology · Test (biology) · The Internet · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Psychology · Social Capital and Networks · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology