Every person encounters society in one way or another. Kindergarten, school, work, leisure - in every area people interact with each other. Communication occurs at different levels: from banal conversation to gestures and body movements. Probably everyone learned the term “interpersonal relationships” in school; it includes any interaction between people, the purpose of which is clear to all parties involved (at least theoretically).
But humanity is constantly developing, so new languages of communication are inevitably formed. The real phenomenon of human relations is social networks. We didn’t even notice how tightly they entered our lives. Sometimes we don’t think about their benefits and harms, their impact on real life and socialization.
But how much has online virtual communication changed the world? And should we worry about the future? Let's find out!
What are interpersonal relationships
First, let’s remember what the concept of “interpersonal relationships” means. Maybe someone remembered their school days and social studies lessons.
Interpersonal relationships are interactions between a person and other people or groups of people. First of all, such communication includes oral or written speech; Most often we explain our point of view either in words or on a piece of paper.
The concept itself is divided into several characteristics:
- types of relationships;
- groups of feelings;
- forms of relationships.
There are two types of relationships - business and personal, that is, official and informal. When seeking help from law enforcement agencies, we follow formalities and speak with representatives of the law, observing certain ethics. But with friends and family it’s much easier: there are no rules, at least legally.
Feelings are divided into sympathy and antipathy. If a person does not want to communicate, it means that he is showing antipathy towards your personality. Accordingly, healthy relationships are built on sympathy.
Forms of relationships are divided into several categories:
- Familiar . You can know the person by sight, but not say hello or limit yourself to greeting. Maybe you communicate on general topics, but not for long and only during a chance meeting.
- Friend and comrade . These are different things: a friend is not yet a friend, but a person who is clearly not indifferent to us; comrade - a person with whom we collaborate, for example, a work colleague.
- Friendship and love . These are the highest levels of affection: for such people we are ready to do anything.
I’m sure, reading the description of the term, many thought about real relationships between people. Familiar - at least sometimes, but catches your eye; colleague - here he is, spilled coffee on the table again; a friend is always there and ready to support. But in fact, interpersonal relationships have long crossed the line of ordinary communication.
Social networks have taken over the world, and there is nothing surprising here, because with the advent of the Internet, virtual communication was only a matter of time. However, no one could predict the scale.
Loss of face-to-face communication skills
Be that as it may, live communication is here to stay. If a person completely devotes himself to virtual interaction, forgetting about the realities, he risks forgetting how to communicate normally with people, and this is a very important skill, without which it is impossible not only to travel or get a job, but also to simply buy food or clothes in a store.
What are social networks
Initially, the phrase “social networks” was not associated with the Internet. Sociologist James Barnes described the concept as a structure in which social entities (that is, people or groups of people) are related to each other. Simply put, each member will be connected in some way to all members of the social group. For example, a boss knows his subordinates - on a social network they are listed as “branches” of the boss. The “branch” has its own acquaintances.
This term gained popularity and began to be actively introduced into everyday life. Social networks primarily exist in real life. But we’re not talking about them now: we’re interested in virtual communication, although the principles of both concepts overlap in some ways.
And yet, Internet technologies have greatly changed the concept of a social network. On the one hand, the whole world is accessible and you can meet anyone, but on the other hand, there are no real, living people nearby, because all communication on the Internet is often limited to common interests. More on this after a brief history of networking.
Dating websites
There are many stories when virtual relationships as a result of online dating developed into relationships. At one time, this became a real trend, which is why dating sites began to appear. Interested people can:
- get positive emotions from communicating with peers, people younger and older of any gender from different countries;
- leave pleasant comments under the photos and posts of users you like;
- expand your circle of acquaintances and even find true love.
People spending time on dating sites have different goals. Some people are looking for sincere communication and love, others just want to make new friends. However, there is also a place for scammers here. Be vigilant and try not to succumb to provocations, do not disclose personal information and try to maintain composure. Remember about the possibility of encountering fake profiles on which attackers are “sitting”.
Underwater rocks
Speaking about the pitfalls of virtual communication, it is worth returning to the previously mentioned negative points. This is the activity of scammers and extortionists. These are fake pages and the Dark Web. We recommend that you once again read the sections “Dating Sites” (last paragraph) and “Disadvantages of Virtual Communication”.
History of virtual networks
Initially, the Internet was created for “professional communication,” that is, the rapid transfer of important data, and not images of cute cats and puppies. In 1969, the US Department of Defense designed ARFANET, an internal military network. Of course, it was far from the virtual ideal; It wasn't until 1983 that the technology learned how to route data packets, becoming the first network in the world to use the IP protocol.
Secret developments became less and less secret. The Internet gradually penetrated into the homes of ordinary citizens. Still, the network was used more for commercial purposes, and most users did not understand why they needed “this Internet.” But in 1995, Randy Conrads created the website classmates.com, which helped find classmates, classmates, co-workers or former work colleagues. People got the opportunity to communicate with those they had not seen for many years!
Success was inevitable. That period can generally be considered “golden” for many modern IT giants. In 2004, Facebook appeared, initially aimed at Harvard students. But everyone liked the idea so much that two years later the social network became available to all users in the world over 16 years of age. Today Facebook is one of the most visited sites in the world.
Wasting time
It seems that online communication is a great way to save time, although in fact it often turns out differently: a dialogue begins that lasts fifteen minutes, but it ends in an hour and a half, because neither party is limited in conveying information. One topic can quickly give way to a second, a second to a third, and on all this an important resource, perhaps allocated for other matters, is wasted.
This is how Internet addiction is formed, which from harmless forms turns into a real disease, the result of which is not days or months wasted, but entire years of life.
It is worth remembering that time is priceless and you should not waste it endlessly scrolling through the news feed on Vkontakte or watching videos on YouTube. Of course, no one is forcing you to give up this completely, but it is better to devote a minimum of time to such things, devoting the remaining free hours to more useful things: work, organizing a business, reading books, walking with friends, going to the cinema, playing sports, traveling.
What social networks exist
The Russian analogues of Classmates and Facebook - VKontakte and Odnoklassniki - have also established themselves in the top visited sites among the Russian-speaking audience (Russian is the eighth language in the world by the number of speakers).
Social networks also include progressive branches - photo networks, video hosting and instant messengers. Vivid examples of original combinations are Instagram and TikTok; they contain photographs or short videos that can be appreciated and discussed.
Today there are many websites and applications with communication functions. Even forums that were popular in the “bearded” years also relate to interpersonal virtual communication.
End of dialogue
In virtual communication online, interlocutors are equal to each other, so everyone has the same rights. Although there are rules of decency, there will be nothing terrible if someone interrupts someone else’s message with their message, the thread of the story will not be lost. This same fact gives each forum participant the right to end the dialogue at any time.
You don’t have to find a witty statement for some taunt, don’t try to get out of it by avoiding answering the question, but simply stop communicating without explanation. Of course, the consequences of such behavior may not be the most pleasant, but the fact is a fact.
Naked numbers and facts
The statistics are amazing: as of October 2022, 4.14 billion people use social networks worldwide, which is 12.3% higher than the previous year! It was possible to calculate the average duration of the hobby per day - 2 hours 29 minutes, while 40% use social networks for work purposes.
This scope is provided by mobile devices: more than 70% of content on social networks is viewed from smartphone screens. And these are not schoolchildren at all: users from 25 to 34 years old make up almost a third of the entire audience.
YouTube video hosting reaches 2 billion people, of which 80.1 million are Russian users. VKontakte is confidently catching up - 72.9 million people in Russia alone. Our country also loves Instagram – 54 million (top 5 in terms of traffic).
It turns out that more than half of all people on the planet use social networks in one form or another. Above I touched on the problems of mass integration of social networks, but believe me, there are many more of them. Interpersonal relationships on the Internet give rise to many difficulties, contradictions and inadequate methods of communication. The Internet both unites and divides people, helps and harms.
If we cover full statistics, then the number of active Internet users over the past year increased by more than 7%, and specifically in Russia - by 5%. According to research, every year the average time spent on the Internet increases by half an hour: in 2015 it was 6 hours and 20 minutes a day, and in 2022 it is almost 7. Russian users have taken the lead, spending about 8 hours a day online.
What do people do? Most often they are looking for some information, keeping in touch with family and friends. Following the news closes the top three activities (and this is without even mentioning other popular ways to spend time on the Internet). Naturally, constantly spinning in the information field, a person begins to communicate with other network users, that is, he starts interpersonal relationships.
Convenience
The convenience of this method of communication between individuals is that each subscriber has the opportunity to think through all the information received and respond to it. Of course, this is not relevant for video communication, which is practically no different from live communication. But this applies to people who prefer to exchange thoughts through emails and messages.
True, this advantage also has a downside, which is described in detail below.
How virtual networks are changing interpersonal relationships
Previously, no one could even imagine meeting a person about whom nothing is known. If someone pretended to be someone they were not, then sooner or later society would find out about it. But on the Internet everything is completely different. Even our friends and acquaintances on social networks present their lives in a different light. When communicating with people in the comments, you may be surprised at the arrogance and impudence of the user, but in reality this may be an insecure person suffering from psychological problems. Of course, this is just an example, but it clearly reflects the modification of virtual interpersonal relationships.
But first, about the obvious advantages of communicating on the Internet:
- Political and social awareness. Television is no longer a monopolist among sources of information. Now you can communicate personally with a resident of another region or an adherent of different beliefs.
- Freedom of speech. Dissatisfaction with government decisions, activist movements and other issues that work in real life work great online. At the same time, politicians themselves also actively express their opinions (for example, Trump was not afraid to write radical tweets, turning everything upside down).
- Economic development. Users can express their opinions about specific products, services and companies. How many times have large corporations had to make concessions because of massive Internet actions!
- Work processes. It is much easier to find specialists online. Communication is simplified, as many issues can be resolved remotely.
- New acquaintances. Sometimes, even among close friends, it is difficult to find someone who matches your hobbies. But there are a huge number of thematic forums, groups on social networks and chats in instant messengers on the Internet. And if you decide to get carried away with something, you can directly communicate with a specialist.
- A useful waste of time. Agree, even from a feed with “memes” you can sometimes pick up useful information. While waiting in line, sitting on public transport or just relaxing, you can explore the world and make new friends.
- It's easier to make contact. Much easier to write, isn't it?
It is important to mention Internet phenomena. A good example is the Gamestop rescue campaign on the Reddit forum; users of the site created a topic in which they called on all concerned to buy shares of the company. Instead of the predicted bankruptcy, Gamestop soared on the stock market, leaving the experienced brokers who were short-sellers out of control. They also help sick people through the network, raise awareness and reveal unobvious problems.
Of course, social networks are a big leap in human development. However, problems arise no less, and sometimes they overshadow all the advantages of virtual communication.
No limits
If we talk about what makes the Internet so popular with humanity, it is the availability of a large amount of free information. It can also be used to communicate anywhere and with anyone. Definitely so.
Thanks to technology, you no longer need to wait for a letter from St. Petersburg to arrive in Moscow, and the answer will reach the recipient days, or maybe weeks, later. Just press the “send” button and days and weeks turn into seconds. The same applies to communication between Paris and Moscow, Vladivostok and New York, etc.
Only temporary boundaries remain, but they still will not be able to force the inhabitants of the planet to stop communicating with each other from different hemispheres.
This brings great benefits not only to ordinary people who can communicate with their relatives from distant countries, but also to businessmen who can exchange useful information at any time and in an unlimited amount.
This plus allows an individual to learn foreign languages with the help of their native speakers. Finding a conversation partner from the UK or US to better understand spoken English is very easy in the 21st century. You just need to go to the desired site.
Terrible diseases of the information revolution
Many people have a tendency to run away from responsibility. And this is manifested in the choice of opinion or belief in some facts. Unfortunately, there is less truth on the Internet: most often it is mixed with personal fiction or, even worse, a deliberate distortion of reality. And people believe, especially trust popular personalities. Everyone has faith in goodness, but without critical thinking there is nowhere in this world. A joint study by psychologists from the USA, France, Great Britain and the United Arab Emirates showed that network users trust virtual friends and media figures more, and therefore, without realizing it, they spread false information. How many times have you heard the phrase “we disagree, it was fake”?
The previous point includes a huge number of fraudulent activities that users may not be prepared for. The attacker must be punished, but how can he be identified?
Social networks breed envy. And this is not just a biblical teaching: by posting their best photos, users create the illusion of an ideal life. And others, looking at the beautiful sea breeze or watching dinner in an expensive restaurant, begin to believe that their life is boring and monotonous. The worst thing is that the user may not notice how he develops apathy towards simple joys.
Internet addiction is a proven psychological disease. A constant flow of information becomes a drug: each time a person needs more and more. Therefore, today we are seeing a trend towards short videos (for example TikTok or Youtube Shorts), simple content and an endless feed of photos, news and jokes.
Another form of addiction is satisfying the need to be loved through social networks. A person can become obsessed with the number of likes on a photo and flattering comments. For example, almost all of Instagram is built on narcissism. This is a very serious problem, since the Internet still cannot replace real recognition from friends, family or colleagues. Why does a person have a false sense of satisfaction?
Experts from the University of Georgia found that such a user experiences feelings similar to friendships with people we know closely. Therefore, a person experiences the illusion of constant support and connection with understanding people. Socialization in real society suffers from this, and emotions become more vulnerable; As soon as someone expresses a negative opinion, the person becomes despondent and even depressed.
Children and teenagers who accustom themselves to constant correspondence may experience difficulties in real communication.
Above I touched a little on the topic of trolling. Some may think this is harmless fun, but in reality it is a serious problem, because words can hurt very deeply. And if in real life you can get caught under an article about humiliation of human dignity, then on social networks it is problematic to prosecute a user for offensive words. Children are at risk: having stumbled upon a “troll”, a child can be seriously harmed and receive psychological trauma.
Another problem is cooperation with law enforcement agencies and transfer of data to third parties. Although it is difficult to identify a person on the Internet, the site owners have information about each registered account. And if the authorities are at least trying to catch criminals, then leaking personal data to criminals is a truly terrible practice. Fortunately, many users filter information and think about safety without posting their entire lives on the Internet.
Negative impact on development
It is worth paying attention to the difference between standard letters and messages on the Internet:
- You need to be able to write them. People, knowing that their letter can take weeks to reach the recipient and that they can wait just as long for an answer, try to pay maximum attention to both the information content and the beauty of the writing in one message. If you study the letters of educated people of the 18th century, then, out of ignorance, they can be mistaken for chapters of literary works. Virtual communication is a form of interaction that has devalued this skill. The text is sent in seconds and there is no need to think about how to place all the information in one message, because you can always send the second, third, tenth and twentieth.
- They develop thinking. Formulating thoughts to transfer them to paper develops the parts of the brain responsible for memory and intellectual activity. Pressing buttons on the keyboard does not have this effect.
This is why it is important not to forget about real communication. At least in letter format. In addition, paper messages are very pleasant to receive.
This, by the way, is the other side of the comfort that virtual information exchange provides.
Scammers
Again, on the Internet, all individuals can wear any mask, which is often used by scammers. There are often stories in which a girl met a young man through a social network, started dating, and he eventually deceived her and robbed her.
There are countless examples of defrauded customers of non-existent online stores.
That is why when communicating online you should be wary, do not give away money and do not trust unverified persons.
Unjustified hopes
Every actor in the network can be anyone. On the one hand, this is good for increasing self-esteem, on the other hand, it is bad for those who believe it. There is a high chance of being deceived.
To better understand this negative aspect of virtual communication, it is worth considering the following example. The girl met a young man on a social network, where he showed himself to be confident, witty and resourceful, thanks to which he was able to meet her in reality.
Arriving on a date, she met someone completely different from what she was expecting: a complex and not at all so bright guy who cannot put two words together in her presence.
As a result, a waste of time and a bad mood due to unjustified hopes.
Conclusion
Thus, virtual communication has both many advantages and serious disadvantages. You should be careful when choosing an online interlocutor and still not replace real communication with digital communication.
Sources used:
- https://psychologist.tips/2417-plyusy-i-minusy-internet-obshheniya-zamenit-li-ono-realnye-kontakty.html
- https://srazu.pro/socializacia/virtualnoe-obshhenie.html
- https://mind-control.ru/obshhenie-i-vliyanie/plyusy-i-minus-internet-obshheniya/
- https://webgirls-studio.com/plyusy-i-minusy-obshheniya-v-internete/
- https://plusiminusi.ru/plyusy-i-minusy-virtualnogo-obshheniya/
