When used judiciously to promote healthy identity formation and development or to facilitate human communications, the Internet can be a boon for society. However, the Internet has quickly become an emblem of deep-rooted social problems related to the disintegration of traditional communities. Instead of serving as an ideal substitute for social isolation, the Internet has exacerbated alienation. Addiction to the Internet is flourishing among youth all around the world from Taiwan to the Netherlands. Anxiety, loneliness, and depression are unfortunate by-products of the new media.
Because the Internet has enabled remote call centers and telecommuting, the workplace has been remarkably transformed. It seems as if the Internet creates more opportunities for social integration such as by connecting people and coworkers with one another in spite of geographic obstacles. The ability to communicate long-distance at virtually no cost to the consumer also helps fragmented families reunite in a virtual world. Yet the very fact that globalization has resulted in fragmented communities and families is symbolized by the Internet. Impersonal usernames have taken the place of hugs, kisses, and handshakes. Whether the Internet has united or fragmented the world depends on how the technology will be used in the future. If the Internet can evolve to embrace traditional social values, post-conventional moral reasoning, and social justice, then the new media can transcend its own limitations. The Internet has enabled socially anxious individuals to hide in their homes and avoid contact with the outside world. The new media has allowed those who prefer not to have face-to-face interactions to work and chat without ever seeing another human being. Therefore, the Internet reflects the tendency to become self-absorbed in a society that...
The Internet needs to be combined with traditional social interactions in school so that children, adolescents, and young adults use the media as an adjunct to, not a substitute for, face-to-face communications. The following is an illustration of the two possible futures for the Internet and its role in shaping social and psychological futures.
Social integration Social disintegration networking with friends and family Internet addiction meeting new people through social networking Self-absorption or special interest groups Increased loneliness, reading new material and encountering new ideas anxiety, open-mindedness and increased awareness and depression appreciation of diversity Internet reflecting social fragmentation
References
Crain, W.C. (1985). Kohlberg's stages of moral development. Chapter Seven in Theories of Development. Prentice-Hall. Retrieved Jun 11, 2008 at http://faculty.plts.edu/gpence/html/kohlberg.htm
Liu, C. & Kuo, F. (2007). A study of internet addiction through the lens of interpersonal theory. CyberPsychology and Behavior. 10(6).
Poster, M. (2007). The secret self: The case of identity theft. Cultural Studies. 21(1). Jan 2007.
Schmitt, K.L., Dayanim, S. & Matthias, S. (2008). Personal homepage construction as an expression of social development. Developmental Psychology. 44(2).
A van den Eijnden, R.J.J.M., Meerkerk, G., Vermulst, a.A., Spijkerman, R. & Engels, R.C.M.E. (2008). 44(3).
Wellman, B. (2005). Community: from neighborhood to network. Communications of the ACM. Oct 2005. 48(10).
Williams, B.T. (2008). Tomorrow will not be like today: Literacy and identity in a world of multiliteracies. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy. 51(8). May 2008.
