A study of the impact of Internet use on American society, based on a series of nationally representative surveys conducted from 1995 to 2000. Drawing on nationally representative telephone surveys conducted from 1995 to 2000, James Katz and Ronald Rice offer a rich and nuanced picture of Internet use in America. Using quantitative data, as well as case studies of Web sites, they explore the impact of the Internet on society from three perspectives: access to Internet technology (the digital divide), involvement with groups and communities through the Internet (social capital), and use of the Internet for social interaction and expression (identity). To provide a more comprehensive account of Internet use, the authors draw comparisons across media and include Internet nonusers and former users in their research. The authors call their research the Syntopia Project to convey the Internet's role as one among a host of communication technologies as well as the synergy between people's online activities and their real-world lives. Their major finding is that Americans use the Internet as an extension and enhancement of their daily routines. Contrary to media sensationalism, the Internet is neither a utopia, liberating people to form a global egalitarian community, nor a dystopia-producing armies of disembodied, lonely individuals. Like any form of communication, it is as helpful or harmful as those who use it.

The internet is so central to everyday life, that it is impossible to contemplate life without it. From finding romance, to conducting business, receiving health advice, shopping, banking, and gaming, the internet opens up a world of possibilities to people across the globe. Yet for all its positive attributes, it is also an environment where we witness the very worst of human behaviour - cybercrime, election interference, fake news, and trolling being just a few examples. What is it about this unique environment that can make people behave in ways they wouldn't contemplate in real life. Understanding the psychological processes underlying and influencing the thinking, interpretation and behaviour associated with this online interconnectivity is the core premise of Cyberpsychology. The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology explores a wide range of cyberpsychological processes and activities through the research and writings of some of the world's leading cyberpsychology experts. The book is divided into eight sections covering topics as varied as online research methods, self-presentation and impression management, technology across the lifespan, interaction and interactivity, online groups and communities, social media, health and technology, video gaming and cybercrime and cybersecurity. The Oxford Handbook of Cyberpsychology will be important reading for those who have only recently discovered the discipline as well as more seasoned cyberpsychology researchers and teachers.

Since around the 1970s, the world has witnessed a technological revolution equaling no less than a global paradigm shift in the way we communicate in our social relationships. The impact of the new technology has impacted every aspect of our lives from early childhood to older ages. This technology has revolutionized social communication and brought the world together with a single click. This book explores the effects of the internet on our social relationships. This impact is tremendous and often individuals seek therapy for the new issues that this type of communication presents, whether it be parents who are concerned about their teenagers addiction to texting, blogging, and posting on Facebook, My Space or Twitter; or couples whose relationships are threatened by internet infidelity, inattentiveness to their partner, and/or abuse of pornographic websites. The chapters contained in this book provide not only important information on these topics across the life span but also provide helpful hints for individuals and mental health practitioners as well.

During the past decade, technology has become more pervasive, encroaching more and more on our lives. Computers, cell phones, and the internet have an enormous influence not only on how we function at work, but also on how we communicate and interact outside the office. Researchers have been documenting the effect that these types of technology have on individuals, families, and other social groups. Their work addresses questions that relate to how people use computers, cell phones, and the internet, how they integrate their use of new technology into daily routines, and how family function, social relationships, education, and socialization are changing as a result. This research is being conducted in a number of countries, by scientists from a variety of disciplines, who publish in very different places. The result is that it is difficult for researchers and students to get a current and coherent view of the research literature. This book brings together the leading researchers currently investigating the impact of information and communication technology outside of the workplace. Its goal is to develop a consolidated view of what we collectively know in this fast-changing area, to evaluate approaches to data collection and analysis, and to identify future directions for research. The book will appeal to professionals and students in social psychology, human-technology interaction, sociology, and communication.

The Internet in Everyday Life is the first book to systematically investigate how being online fits into people's everyday lives. Opens up a new line of inquiry into the social effects of the Internet. Focuses on how the Internet fits into everyday lives, rather than considering it as an alternate world. Chapters are contributed by leading researchers in the area. Studies are based on empirical data. Talks about the reality of being online now, not hopes or fears about the future effects of the Internet.

In The Internet Family, Drs. Katherine Hertlein and Markie Twistprovide a current and comprehensive look at the effects of technology on couple and family relationships. Beginning with an overview of the multifaceted ways in which technology impacts our relationships today, the authors discuss a wide range of topics pertinent to couple and family life. Chapters focus on issues such as online dating and infidelity, parenting and the Internet, video gaming, cyberbullying, and everyday usage of social and new media, before providing guidance on how the reader can successfully navigate the advantages and risks that emerge from the use of specific technologies. An online appendix offers a range of assessments and practical tools for identifying Internet-related problems and solutions. A portion of the text is also devoted to the application of the Couple and Family Technology framework and how it can be effectively integrated into clinicians' current practice. Couple and family therapists will find this book highly informative, both to use in their own practice and for referring clients to as part of the treatment process. ed into clinicians' current practice. Couple and family therapists will find this book highly informative, both to use in their own practice and for referring clients to as part of the treatment process.

As we begin a new century, the astonishing spread of nationally and internationally accessible computer-based communication networks has touched the imagination of people everywhere. Suddenly, the Internet is in everyday parlance, featured in talk shows, in special business "technology" sections of major newspapers, and on the covers of national magazines. If the Internet is a new world of social behavior it is also a new world for those who study social behavior. This volume is a compendium of essays and research reports representing how researchers are thinking about the social processes of electronic communication and its effects in society. Taken together, the chapters comprise a first gathering of social psychological research on electronic communication and the Internet. The authors of these chapters work in different disciplines and have different goals, research methods, and styles. For some, the emergence and use of new technologies represent a new perspective on social and behavioral processes of longstanding interest in their disciplines. Others want to draw on social science theories to understand technology. A third group holds to a more activist program, seeking guidance through research to improve social interventions using technology in domains such as education, mental health, and work productivity. Each of these goals has influenced the research questions, methods, and inferences of the authors and the "look and feel" of the chapters in this book. Intended primarily for researchers who seek exposure to diverse approaches to studying the human side of electronic communication and the Internet, this volume has three purposes: * to illustrate how scientists are thinking about the social processes and effects of electronic communication; * to encourage research-based contributions to current debates on electronic communication design, applications, and policies; and * to suggest, by example, how studies of electronic communication can contribute to social science itself.