Paper Posted and hoping for feedback

[mstern]

Hi All-

I have posted my paper (HOW CORE SOCIAL TIES ARE MAINTAINED IN THE INFORMATION AGE--the abstract is below) to the Wiki under RT session #2 Online social networks and would love any feedback from anyone. The text is in the Wiki but I have provided a link in the text to the tables (they are in PDF). I will be on-line during the session. Sadly, I will not be in Montreal!

Here is a link to the paper: http://wiki.citasa.org/index.php/Roundtable_2_Online_social_networks/stern_text

Thanks,
Mike Stern


Here is the abstract to the paper:

HOW CORE SOCIAL TIES ARE MAINTAINED IN THE INFORMATION AGE
The number of ways that people can communicate with their social networks has changed dramatically in the past half century (Fischer 1992). Whereas traditionally the community was the basis for people’s social interactions, meaning that most of people’s closest friends resided locally and that face-to-face communication was the predominant mode of communication, much has changed (Wilkinson 1991). Today, in addition to face-to-face meetings and other more traditional means of communication such as postal mail one can use a landline telephone, or any number of the computer mediated communications such as email. This paper explores what modes of communication people use most with their three closest friends with a particular emphasis on how mode of communication may vary by three factors: 1) whether the social ties are local or non-local, 2) frequency of communication, and 3) degree of Internet usage. The results from a 2005 random sample mail survey of 1,315 households in the Western United States show that email has fully become part of the media multiplicity and an important tool in maintaining core social networks. In addition, contrary to findings from recent research, increases in Internet usage are associated with decreases in modes of communication other than email.

[cguirl]

I've just moved this page to a little more appropriate URL For its title. You can now get to it here:

http://wiki.citasa.org/index.php/How_Core_Social_Ties_Are_Maintained_In_The_Information_Age

[Shelia Cotten]

Mike, your paper is really interesting. We just did a similar survey with older adults in Birmingham. Maybe we can chat/email after the mini-conference.

Shelia

[mstern]

Thanks for the kind words. Sadly, I am not in Montreal at all this week (I just started a new job and got bogged down); however, I would love to hear about your project and findings. We can talk via phone or email (mstern@okstate.edu).

I have several other related papers you are more than welcome to as well (one is forthcoming in City & Community).

Mike

[Shelia Cotten]

Great. Feel free to email me at or send me a link if you have them posted somewhere. Maybe we can talk in a week or so (after recovering from ASA and catching up at work).

Shelia

[eileenday]

I also am interested in your paper. Mike ... so would like to see/read your other 'related papers'.

My research focus is workplace communication among members of Communities of Practice and on my quick first scan, your work may be very useful for me in terms of exploring differences between 'friends' and 'work/professional colleagues'.. perhaps ...

so as Shelia suggests could you either email me (when you can) the pdf of this paper and any others (eileen.day@rmit.edu.au) or simply let me know the link/cite details if the papers are publicly avble now. Tks

Eileen