Hey everyone! This is my final project presentation. My overall thesis for this project is that Facebook is replacing face to face interaction. It is also my belief that physical distance does not play a role in the users that communicate through Facebook. In order to prove my thesis, I surveyed 20 Facebook users and the results are shown below. I also provided a mapping exercise to show that physical distance plays no role in Facebook communication.
SURVEY QUESTIONS!
I surveyed 20 Facebook users using this survey. The survey is shown below, and the results are following the survey.
1. How often do you use your Facebook
A) More than 5 times a day
B) 1-5 times a day
C) A few times a day
D) Hardly/Never
2. Do you use Facebook with people who are living physically close to you?
A) Yes
B) No
3. If you want to communicate with someone about something important, do you use Facebook to tell him/her?
A) Yes
B) Sometimes
C) No
4. Do you believe Facebook is replacing face to face communication?
A) Yes
B) No
5. Do you believe people are more inclined to use Facebook to communicate with others rather than communicating with them in a physical environment?
A) Yes
B) No
If yes, why do you believe so?
Results of Survey
1. A) 20% B) 50% C) 30% D) 0%
2. Yes) 75% No) 25%
3. Yes) 15% No) 30% Sometimes) 55%
4. Yes) 55% No) 45%
5. Yes) 60% No) 40%
Mapping Exercise
Please click the link below to view my mapping exercise.
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116501733828045701258.000468647df1ad33eaf92&z=12
This map will provide you with an illustration of the top eight users that I use Facebook with. This emphasizes that I ultimately use Facebook with users who are living physically close to me. Although I do not allow Facebook to replace face to face interaction, I used this demonstration to illustrate that typically Facebook users use Facebook to communicate with other users that are living physically close to them.
Facebook Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSnXE2791yg
Marion Schimmel
CMA 304
Final Project
Through the use of Facebook, many individuals are less inclined to communicate with others face to face. Though Facebook is a useful online social network, it has replaced physical interactionism between individuals. The data collected from Facebook user surveys have solidified the argument that Facebook is degenerating face to face interaction between individuals that are physically close. The data collected during this study relates to Joshua Meyrowitz’s piece entitled "The Separation of Social Space from Physical Place," which illustrates the idea that Facebook users tend to use this medium to form quasi-relationships with other Facebook users. Several articles also show that Facebook is slowly diminishing face time. As stated previously, Facebook is a useful online social network, however excessive use of Facebook can be dehumanizing on the user; excessive use of Facebook causes users to lose their sense of social interaction in a physical environment.
In order to provide justification for the overall thesis that Facebook is diminishing face to face interaction, surveys were distributed to twenty Facebook users. These users were young adults, both male and female college students. The survey questions were as follows:
1. How often do you use your Facebook
A) More than 5 times a day
B) 1-5 times a day
C) A few times a day
D) Hardly/Never
2. Do you use Facebook with people who are living physically close to you?
A) Yes
B) No
3. If you want to communicate with someone about something important, do you use Facebook to tell him/her?
A) Yes
B) Sometimes
C) No
4. Do you believe Facebook is replacing face to face communication?
A) Yes
B) No
5. Do you believe people are more inclined to use Facebook to communicate with others rather than communicating with them in a physical environment?
A) Yes
B) No
If yes, why do you believe so?
50% of these users said they use Facebook 1-5 times a day, 30% said they use Facebook a few times a week, 20% said they use Facebook more than 5 times a day, and 0% said they use Facebook hardly/never. This gives an overall understanding of how much young adults are using their Facebooks. 75% of these users said they use Facebook with people who are living physically close to them, whereas only 25% said they do not use Facebook with people living physically close to them. This shows that these young adults use Facebook as an outlet for communication with other users that are living physically close to them. 55% of these users said they sometimes use Facebook to communicate with someone about something important. 30% of these users say they do not use Facebook to communicate with someone about something important, and 15% said yes they do. The majority of users in this instance stated that sometimes they use Facebook to tell another user something important. Rather than using face to face communication, these users can use Facebook to convey an important message to another user. 55% of these users believe that Facebook is replacing face to face communication, whereas 45% believe that it is not. Though these percentages are close, the majority of these users believe that Facebook is replacing face to face interaction. Lastly, 60% of these users believe that people are more inclined to use Facebook to communicate with others rather than communicating with them in a physical environment, whereas 40% do not believe Facebook users are inclined to do so. Those users who said yes were asked to explain why they believe this to be so. Many users stated that because it’s usually easier and less awkward to use Facebook rather than face to face communication. These survey results help to solidify the belief that Facebook can be typically used by users who are physically close, and to avoid face to face interaction due to awkwardness and convenience.
A mapping exercise was done in order to show the typical distance between Facebook users. In this mapping exercise, the location of where I use my Facebook is designated by my house illustrated by the yellow marker. In addition to my location, eight of the most frequent people that I use Facebook with are designated by their locations with a blue marker. As the map illustrates, I typically use Facebook with users that are physically close to me. The average distance between myself and another Facebook user is 5.235 miles. This illustrates that Facebook users are typically inclined to use their Facebook to communicate with other users who are a short distance away from them. Though I do not use my Facebook as a replacement for face to face interaction, this mapping exercise enables the understanding of who a Facebook user communicates with.
In April 2009, an article entitled "Is Facebook replacing face time?" was released discussing the effects of Facebook on residents of Juneau. In this article, the author argues that the community of Juneau is becoming less inclined to communicate face to face. Rather they are able to form an online social networking community that inevitably is replacing their physical interaction. Though these members of Juneau are connecting with users who are farther away, now that they use Facebook. This example illustrates that physical interaction is diminishing in this community. In a similar article entitled "Does Facebook replace face time or enhance it?" the author discusses her experience with Facebook and explores the question of whether or not Facebook is replacing face time. At the start of the article, the author states that her close friend has not returned her calls in a year. However, her friend has been able to use her Facebook to communicate. Even after 24 years of friendship, her close friend is now "relegated to the online world, filtered through Facebook. Call it Facebook Recluse Syndrome — and Jenny is far from the site's only social hermit"(Davis). Davis now argues that Facebook provides a digital veil for users to avoid face to face interaction. Mishra Planeswater, a young recovering Facebook junkie, wrote the article entitled "Is Facebook replacing face time?" In his opinion, Facebook is most certainly replacing face to face conversation. In his belief, the method of communication that Facebook offers is eroding our social skills. Because of the mass amount of communication avenues a user can take, disputes will arise. Communication is misinterpreted and lost in translation, and feelings are ultimately hurt. Secondly, Planeswater believes that Facebook provides an ease for Facebook users. Rather than organizing a social gathering, users can hop on Facebook and send a message. This diminishes our social skills and makes users less inclined to engage in social gatherings. According to Planeswater:
Facebook is gradually becoming the number one way to communicate amongst the somuter-savvy generation. I deleted my facebook account 8 months ago, and I've led a more social life, and I can easily say that we, as humans, are much more suited to communicate verbally, face to face, instead of behind screens where anyone's identity is suspect (Planeswater).
For this past Facebook user, it is clear that he believes that it is more humanizing to communicate on a face to face level, rather than use Facebook. All of these articles emphasize that Facebook is replacing face time in a physical environment.
Meyrowitz’s piece entitled "The Separation of Social Space from Physical Place" relates to the argument that Facebook is replacing face to face interaction. Meyrowitz argues that through the use of media, the social experience of individuals is significantly effected. Users are less worrisome about facing people in a physical environment if he/she is able to communicate in a online social network (Meyrowitz). Meyrowitz makes a distinction between physical space and social space. Physical space refers to an exchange of communication that is in a physical environment. Social space refers to an environment that takes place through a media experience. Meyrowitz also touches upon the concept of a para-social relationship. According to Meyrowitz, this "relationship is mediated, [however] it psychologically resembles face to face interaction." Therefore, Facebook relationships can be formed between individuals in a social space that do not transcend into a physical environment. Rather than face to face interaction with another individual, the para-social relationship has clearly created a new form of interaction. This interaction takes place in the social realm of Facebook and allows users to communicate with others without the face to face experience. In relation to Meyrowitz’s theories, it can be argued that Facebook reshapes social situations and social identities. Users now have two identities: the physical self and the Facebook self. It depends on each individual user on how these two identities differ. However, for those who use Facebook excessively, it can be argued that their Facebook self can often overpower their physical self. For example, a user can have an intimate conversation with another user on Facebook. However, when these users meet in a physical space, they might not be inclined to have that same conversation because they do not have the safety net of the social experience of Facebook. If they were to have this conversation face to face, it may cause awkwardness. Therefore, it can be argued that those who use Facebook habitually may have their social identities altered.
It can be argued that the excessive use of Facebook has a dehumanizing effect on those users. I am not disputing the fact that Facebook is an efficient online social network. However, when used in replacement of face to face interaction, users should be less inclined to substitute physical communication with Facebook communication. Trivial communication is not what I am concerned with. Rather, I am arguing against individuals using Facebook to communicate with others on a more personal level. Especially when these relationships are formed between two users that are physically close to one another. When a user becomes so reliant on Facebook for personal communication, he/she begins to lack a sense of the benefits that come from a face to face communication. When using Facebook, ideas may be lost in translation and confusion may arise as a result of this exchange. Face to face interaction allows the individuals to read into body language and tone levels of each other. There is something humanizing about exchanging your ideas with someone in a physical environment, rather through media. However, I must address the issue of our own human nature. One might say that avoiding face to face interaction with others through the use of Facebook is simply in our nature. In this respect, I agree; I believe individuals are more inclined to communicate on a personal level through Facebook, rather than face to face interaction. My solution to this is the avoidance of excessive use of Facebook. Users must recognize that like all things, Facebook must be used in moderation. Otherwise, users fall victims to the dehumanizing effects of excessive use of Facebook. Until users become more spiritually mature, they will continue to use Facebook as an outlet for communication. I encourage these users to overcome their fears of face to face interaction.
Works Cited
Davis, Lisa Selin. "Does Facebook Replace Face Time or Enhance It?" Time. 2009
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1871627,00.html?cnn=yes
Meyrowitz, Joshua. "The Separation of Social Space from Physical Space." No Sense of Place: The Impact of Electronic Media on Social Behavior. Oxford University Press. 1985.
Nelson, Courtney. "Is Facebook replacing face time?" 10 April 2009.
http://juneauempire.com/stories/041009/ent_427821680.shtml
Planeswater, Mishra. "Is Facebook replacing face time?" Helium Inc. 2009
http://www.helium.com/items/1312288-facebook-is-replacing-real-social-skills
