Üniversite Öğrencilerinin Internet Kullanımlarının Sosyal Yaşam Üzerine Etkisi

The purpose of this study was to research the effects of Internet use on social life of university students. The study specifically addressed the following research questions: 1.What are the university students‘ opinions about the effects of Internet use on social life? 2.Is there a relationship between time used on Internet and social life? Students were first asked why and to what end they use Internet. Results in surveys indicated that they most use it for study and communication. With regards to the purposes of Internet use, no significant difference was found between groups neither in pretest (F(1,58) = .22; p= .64) nor in posttest (F(1,58) = .01; p= .94). Variations in purposes of Internet use between groups were not statistically different, either (F(1,57)= .02, p=0.89, η2= .00). However, despite statistically insignificant differences, a decline was observed in rates of Internet use for communication in students in control group (CG) while Internet use as a mean of communication for students in treatment group (TG) showed a high increase. Pretest scores did not show differences between participants‘ departments and daily Internet using time (F(1,58) = 2.278; p= .11; ̅ ̅ ) nor time allocated to social life (F(1,58) = 4.00; p= .05; ̅ ̅ ). With regards to same variables, posttest did not reveal significant differences between groups in terms of time devoted to social life (F(1,58) = 3.95; p= .06; ̅ ̅ ) while groups significantly differ regarding daily Internet using time (F(1,58) = 10.94; p= .00; ̅ ̅ ). As regards changes in groups concerning daily Internet using time and time allocated to social life, no significant difference and relationship was detected in terms of changes of time spent on social life (F(1,57)= 1.24, p=.27, η2= .021) while changes about daily Internet using time were significantly different between groups (F(1,57)= 8.33, p=.00, η2= .13). Keeping groups under control, relationship between Internet use time and time allocated to social life in participants was reinvestigated based on increased time in participants to do both. Pretest results did not show significant relationship between Internet use time and time allocated to social life (r=.04, p=.77) while posttest scores revealed a significant but negative relationship between these variables (r=-.47, p=.00). To the question how they spend their leisure time, a majority of participants (n=48) responded that they were meeting with family members/friends in their spare times while others declared that they were reading (n=5). Participants were also asked whether computers have dehumanizing and desocializing effects on society and individuals. Most of participants in both groups indicated in pretest that Internet use dehumanize and desocialize (n=33) while this rate was seriously declined in posttest (n=14). As to this change in answers with relation to that in Internet use time, participants having increased time of Internet use were observed to change in posttest their positive answer about desocializing effects of Internet and therefore a significant relationship was obtained between changes in Internet use time and change of mind regarding socializing effects of Internet (r=.36; p=.00). Although the participants reported an educational use of Internet at first, they also declared a use for communicative purposes. When examined closer, this means that the more participants in TG increased Internet use time, the more they used Internet for communicative purposes. Another point which is important is that times spent for both Internet and social life were together increased. Despite significant difference with respect to Internet use time, times devoted to social life did not significantly differ between groups; this could be better explained by recreational patterns of the participants. As to spare time activities, they reported meeting with family members/friends. This response as considered with negative relationship between Internet using times and times allocated to social life causes to lead to contradicting conclusions but especially with the aid of qualitative data gathered during interviews, it is clearly understood that participants differently interpreted concepts and accordingly gave different answers. The major reason for different results obtained both in the present or previous studies seems to be related to the question ―what is socialization?‖ Many students defined socialization as sharing between more than one individual at the same time and the same place. Negative relationship and contradiction between variables were due to the fact that the participants did not consider online communication with family members/friends as Internet use but ordinary talking. This explanation seems to be supported by changes between Internet using times and by changes of mind concerning socializing effects of Internet. Because participants, having increased time of Internet use regardless of group, changed their previous statements about Internet and socialization, indicating that Internet had rather socializing effects. Between these changes, a positive relationship was detected which was previously reported in Stepanikova, Nie, & He (2010). One other important conclusion is that some participants, especially those being poor at communicating, indicated that they preferred to have an online chat with somebody instead of face to face meeting. At this point, participants said that communicating by using texts made easier for them to control what they want to express. Accordingly, the present work found, as previous studies (Bromberg, 1996; Robinson et al. 2000; Parks & Floyd, 1996; Winzelberg, 1997) did, a supportive feature of Internet for social life. In conclusion, despite a tendency to believe that Internet dehumanizes and desocializes people, we think that Internet has positive effects on social life of people. We suggest, in the present study, a revision/redefinition of the term socialization and a creation of a concept such as digital socialization to avoid possible contradicting results in futur studies. Until today, the rapidly increasing use of Internet has been examined in many areas. The most controversial results have been presented by studies related to the effects of Internet use on social life. These results pointed out both positive and negative relationships between Internet use and social life. These different findings may be better explained by the fact that the term socialization is differently defined by individuals. Keeping in mind these different definitions of socialization, this study aimed to research the effects of Internet use on university students‘ social life. For this purpose, Internet use and social life of students being divided into two groups depending on Internet using time were comparatively examined in fall and reexamined in spring semesters. Results showed positive and supportive effects of Internet use on social life.