Facebook Actually Makes Us More Social

Using Facebook online actually makes us more social offline — at least according to a study from the University of Texas at Austin. The New York Times reports that Facebook social networks allow us to maintain contact with our real-life social networks in ways that weren’t possible previously. While this is kind of a “no duh” discovery, the actual study of 900 college students and graduates was able to quantify what that extra socializing meant.

From the study:

• Friends and family who live in the same city are considered the second most important target of communication within Facebook.
• About 62% of students consider Facebook communication with their “Classmates” to be very or fairly important, while only about 43% of college graduates who work consider Facebook communication with their “Colleagues” to be of such importance.
• Women are more likely to report that they communicate with people in a different state or country and that communicating with family on Facebook is important.
• In the transition from high school to college, changes in Facebook use are sharp.  Students share more personal information and friend more people, but don‟t spend more time on the site.
• From college to work, changes in Facebook use are not as great.  Graduates are not likely to share more personal information or friend more people, but do spend a bit more time on the site.
• Latinos are more likely than other groups to get their daily news from links posted on Facebook or online.

Interesting findings, although I’m not sure that Facebook actually makes us more social. I think social media in general, coupled with a cultural shift to “over-sharing,” has made my and younger generations more disposed to communicate more, even if it means we’re not actually saying anything. What do you think?