Sociology and the Internet: Social Impacts on Society

Introduction

The rise of the Internet has been one of the most significant events of the recent past. It has affected society in a massive range of ways, with few people being left unaffected. This paper considers how the Internet has impacted society from a social psychology perspective. With this focus, it will be shown that the Internet has impacted the way people interact with information, has given people greater control over their own lives, has increased the social support available to people, has transformed media and communication, and has created significant new censorship challenges.

How the Internet Changes Information Behavior

The Internet has resulted in a major change in how people respond to and interact with information. Hammerich and Harrison describe the online reader as follows:

"Online readers are in a big hurry. Research shows that they hop, skip, and jump over text; avoid fluff such as promotional writing, logos, and mission statements; are impatient and goal-driven; and so ruthless that they will leave a site within seconds if it doesn't meet their needs."

These qualities are closely linked with the nature of the Internet and the sheer availability of information. Two crucial points emerge. The first is that the Internet offers an endless array of information. The second is that all this information is accessible by navigating the various websites where it is contained. This differs fundamentally from non-Internet information sources, where there is not an endless amount of content and where navigation is not as straightforward.

To illustrate the difference this makes to an individual, consider a person who enters a library to research a topic versus a person who goes online to research the same topic. In the library, there will be a variety of sources. The person might search a database or visit a relevant section of the building. The information will then be laid out in front of them. Most importantly, the person will have a clear sense of how much information is available — perhaps ten books or fifty articles on the subject. They are aware that more information exists elsewhere, in other libraries or through other research methods, but as long as the information in front of them is convenient to use, most people will not concern themselves with what is unavailable.

Now consider the person researching via the Internet. Unlike the person in the library, they have no measure of how much information is available. In most cases, it will seem essentially unlimited. The information will not be conveniently sorted or contained in one place, yet all of it is accessible at the person's fingertips. This makes information practically unlimited while giving the person no simple way to determine how much to search for. It is this dynamic that influences how people interact with information online. People skim, avoid fluff, and read as if in a hurry because there seems to be so much to get through. People are also impatient and goal-driven for the same reasons. This shows that the Internet affects how people feel as they interact with it, which in turn shapes their behavior.

It is also important to note that the way people are influenced by the Internet extends beyond how they act when online. Neal, Quester, and Hawkins note that the Internet is changing how consumers behave not only in online environments but in retail environments as well. In short, people who shop or search for product information online are learning behaviors that they also apply to offline situations. Neal, Quester, and Hawkins describe these changes as a paradigm shift, effectively changing how people think of themselves as consumers regardless of the environment they are in.

Greater Individual Control and Autonomy

The nature of these changes is effectively summarized by Hammerich and Harrison. They describe how consumers are more hurried and quicker to reject products, how consumers are goal-driven and focused on their own needs, and how consumers are less willing to accept products that do not fully meet those needs. This occurs because the extent of information on the Internet reminds people of how many possibilities exist. In a consumer buying process, an individual can no longer accept that the products in a local store represent all available alternatives, because the Internet has made them aware of endless options. This also applies to many areas beyond consumer purchasing. A person is now more aware of the vast number of job possibilities available, and even of the vast number of potential partners available. In this way, the Internet fundamentally expands the range of choices that people are conscious of.

The availability of information on the Internet also allows individuals to become better informed and therefore more autonomous. As noted above, the Internet places information at people's fingertips and gives all people with Internet access equal access to knowledge. This allows people to increase their understanding and their control over their own lives. For example, the individual looking to purchase a new car or home has the ability to research the product thoroughly before making a decision. The individual planning a holiday can investigate travel options and make more informed choices to ensure an enjoyable trip. The individual considering an experimental medical procedure is able to research it to ensure they are well-informed before consenting. The individual purchasing any item can read other people's reviews and opinions. The individual investing in the stock market is able to research stocks and develop their own portfolio.

This puts people more in control of their own lives because easy access to information makes people less reliant on experts. In the case of stock market investing, for example, a person no longer has to rely solely on the advice of financial experts — they may still seek expert guidance, but they also have the ability to research and critically evaluate the information they receive. The same applies equally to medical and legal advice. The end result is that people are able to be more informed, more in control, and more independent if they choose to be.

Conclusion

It has now been seen that the Internet has had a significant impact on various aspects of society. It has provided people with new opportunities, changed the way that people interact with the world and with each other, and created some new and pressing social issues. The Internet has transformed information behavior, expanded individual autonomy, broadened access to social support, reshaped media and communication from a one-way broadcast model to an interactive exchange, and introduced difficult challenges around content regulation and censorship. Understanding these dynamics sociologically is essential as the Internet continues to evolve and deepen its role in everyday life.