The Psychology of Online Friendships

I'm doing a study on online friendships for my Psych coursework at the moment, and I'd appreciate if people could fill this out for me. If you don't want everyone to see what you say, feel free to PM me. Thanks!

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?

1. All

Big_Cheesy_Grin wrote:I'm doing a study on online friendships for my Psych coursework at the moment, and I'd appreciate if people could fill this out for me. If you don't want everyone to see what you say, feel free to PM me. Thanks!

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
All YWSers! Okay, seriously, quite a bunch here.

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it? YWS. Really.

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network? Well, because of our common interests and the fact that this is a well-woven community where almost everyone is nice.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”? Well, obviously the online people don't know me' fully like the way I act, some of my thoughts, my personal conduct, the faces I make in class, you get the drift?

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity? That I always tend socialize with people who enjoy reading and that they're always good friends who'd understand if I told them something is wrong.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why? Definitely "face-to-face" for the basic reason that that person knows and understands me more.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why? Yes, because it's fun to meet new people. But it's always after precautionary measures.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why? No, as I don't believe in it working out.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online? The fact that I wanted to improve my writing skills and get to know some cool people with varied, interesting cultures.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?Well, they have made me realize that there are great people over the net too and have in a small, but significant way, managed to improve certain aspects of my attitude.

Thanks for the questionnaire. Hope it helps.
~Lava

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
Probably just a few that I would consider "friends" but a ton I would consider "aquaintances".

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
YWS all the way!

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
Because I spend far too much time here xD And everyone is always so nice and friendly.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
I've seen my "face-to-face" friends face-to-face.

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
They're both still friends and act how friends ought to.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
Both. If someone is a close enough friend, I would feel comfortable enough. It doesn't matter how I met them.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
Probably. I don't really know why, I just would find it interesting I guess.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
Probably not. I don't see it working out very well.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
YWS was so neat and making friends just happened.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
They're part of the reason I stick around this place (other than its pure awesomeness) so my writing has made a major improvement and that has certainly had a big effect in my life.

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
Not counting YWSers, at least 15...with the YWSers, too many to keep track of.

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
Ranger's Apprentice forum that died, so we all Facebook each other now, and YWS.

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
Because they're awesome, we have a lot in common, and they're willing to give people a chance without judging by appearances.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
It's easier sometimes to talk with my online friends; I can look completely frumpy, be in a horrible mood, or just not feel like physically speaking--and I don't have to!

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
My friends are awesome, both online and in "real" life.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
It really depends on that individual! I could go either way.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
Absolutely; because I'd love to hang out with them.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No. I don't have enough trust for a real relationship, why would I want one over the Internet?

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
Boredom and an extreme addiction to computers.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
They've made me realize I matter, and have given me a chance to find out who I am.

Hope this helps!

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
Two, but both will be attending my college in the fall (online friendship seems necessary in this case, given that they are located in Herzegovina and Pakistan, respectively).

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
Facebook

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
Facebook gives the opportunity for relatively safe interaction with people you know peripherally or not at all, without the inherant anonymity of forums.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
We haven't met. Aside from this, there is little difference. I am perhaps more inclined to take a real friend at his or her word when we are speaking face-to-face.

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
Our conversations are much as they would be in real life, but they take place more slowly.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
Face-to-face. I know these people the best, and I can read them as I'm speaking. That is, if something I say results in a reaction, I can make note of it and change the direction of the conversation accordingly.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
I don't think so. I am just not comfortable with the idea. I prefer meeting someone in a more predictable setting.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No. Proximity is very important to me in a relationship, and I need physical and direct emotional feedback from a partner in order to feel comfortable.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
Membership to Facebook enabled me to keep in touch with friends abroad. Places like YWS allow feedback and interaction with like-minded persons.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
Reminding me when I'm being an idiot. Allowed me to address a few concerns I have about my own character, which my "real-life" friends would not be comfortable sharing with me.

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
At least ten...Ok, specifically 22, give or take one or two.

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
Young Writer's Society

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
Because we have a lot in common


4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
Besides the AMOUNT of friends I have (way more online) I would say it's the fact that when you know people face to face you see how they act, and you get to know little things about them, whereas when you know people only over the internet, you can talk a lot, and talk about how you act, but you have to dig a little more to find out those little things, if that makes sense


5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
They ALL have amazing personalities

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
That's hard. I mean, it would be easier to say it online, but then I would start spouting useless garbage that's floating around in my head if I were nervous, but I would also feel more comfortable saying what I wanted to say and I would have the time to find the right words to say it. Also, I don't have to be worried about immediate reactions. It gives both me and my friend time to think things over, more so than we would have if we were talking face to face.


7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
Completely. Because I know their personalities, and I know who they are, and the same goes for them. They know who I really am. I think that online friends can almost be better friends than the ones you meet in real life because all you see is who they are, making them better friends, in most cases. So yes, absolutely.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No, only because long distance relationships suck. I would, however, have a face-to-face romantic relationship with someone I met online. It's just the long distance that gets me.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
Wherever I go, real life and in the internet, I like to make friends. So, naturally, whenever I join a website that have members you can talk with, i try to make friends.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
I think...Oh, geez. Maybe they've inspired me to travel more? Hearing about where they all live, and knowing I have good friends in those places makes me want to get out and travel to those places and meet the people in those places.

(Hey, hope that helps, and that my answers make sense! xD It was fun :3)

I'll do this for you!!

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
Approximately 5

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
Most of these friends came from being completely obsessed with Twilight, and it was part of a forum called Twilighters.org

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
I love them. Sure, one or two can be a bit annoying, but I've become really close with two of them, mainly because they are around the same age as me and we've gone through the same problems before.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
Well for one, I know my face-to-face friends very well, but at the same time I don't. The most significant difference would be not having ever met them.

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
The interests that we share.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
One close face to face friend. I don't know really, it's just nice to know that they are allways there in body, not just online. There's only a certain amount of time you spend online, so developing friendships over the net isn't probably the best way of doing it.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
Only after knowing them for a long period of time, and having talked to them over the phone before hand. I may be smart, but there are still predators out there in internet world. Plus my friends are all American, so it would be a big cost for me to go and see them.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No. I don't believe you can have a connection with someone you've met online. You need to have face to face contact with them to maintain a romantic relationship.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
Well, nothing really. I was just on the forums and got along really good with a few of the girls, we all had the same sense of humour and spent lots of time chatting etc so it was great.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
Well, I've been able to open up to one of my online friends when I've been in difficult situations and couldn't talk to me 'real' friends, which has made a huge difference. And just learning different perspectives on situations as well, it's shown me that my way has not always been the right way.

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
Um, maybe three or four I actually count as real friends. The others are just people who refuse to stop babbling to me.

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
YWS, obviously.

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
YWS because we share a love of writing, and the slight insanity we all exhibit.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
I'd tell my "face-to-face" friends my age, last name, and they know where I live. Internet friends don't know much about me. At all. Mwahaha. xD

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
They are all good people, and good friends.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
I dunno. Hard question, but probably a face to face friend, like my eldest sister, because they understand me more, something like that.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
No. Not at all. My neighbor is someone who catches men and women who act like children so they can merely kidnap children when they meet up with them. I'd never even think about meeting up with someone whom I met online.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No! It's gross. They could lie about everything, and frankly, so could I.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
Nothing, really. It just happened. XD.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
They are there when the real life friends get mad at me, because my real life friends have to deal with the moody-me. So, yeah.

This was interesting. Yay.

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends?
2 really close friends, and then around 3 or 4 not so close friends.

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it?
Not entirely. A few are from YWS, and a few I actually met through someone who became a close friend from YWS (he's not my friend now though).

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network?
Because we share a common interest, and we understand each other for it.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”?
I don't feel as judged by my online friends, because I feel like they take the time to get to know me as a person, not as a face or a body. And I feel like they provide a better "counseling board," so to speak - they listen to me, and they're less bias in response.

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity?
They're my friends - they're there for me, they listen to me.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why?
I suppose it would depend on the personal concern...probably an online friend, because of the judgement issue. It would be easier to tell them without worrying that they're judging me or looking down on me for the concern.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why?
Definitely! I've actually met one of my closest online friends in real life once (my dad came with, no worries). I think it's a great thing, as long as you go about it in a safe manner. I mean, these people are my friends, even if they're online and there's a chance they aren't anything like I think they are - why shouldn't I take the chance to meet someone who seems as amazing as they do?

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why?
No. I tried that once. I have realized that people you meet over the internet aren't always truthful, or anything like they appear to be. It's a dangerous situation in the way it can effect your heart.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online?
I don't know...I suppose it would have to be that I'd found so many people who were really similar to me, and after living in the same place my entire life I craved new people.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life?
Because of my online friends I have extra opinions, support when I need it, and a whole lot of fun. Even though they live states and countries away, we've shared lots of laughs and lots of serious moments, and I love them

Hope I’m not too late to be helpful.

1. How many people, who you know at least originally over the Internet, would you count as friends? Lots of the YWSers. But then again, I can see a new member, like, once in chat and think of them as a friend. *I think I’ve been here too long.*

2. Is there one community or network under which most of these friends were made? If so, which is it? Yes! YWS of course.

3. Why do you think most of your online friends were made in this community or network? Well, most of this comes from having shared interests and being of a similar age and all. And because they’re all so awesome.

4. What do you consider the most significant difference between your online friends and the friends you know “face-to-face”? I’m actually more open with my online friends then my “face-to-face” friends because, well, my face-to-face friends aren’t always the most...understanding. When I’m dealing with something stressful or trying, I can almost always count on my YWS friends to be more understanding then my other friends.

5. What do you consider the most significant similarity? ....There really aren’t many...in fact, I can’t think of one.

6. Would you be more comfortable sharing a very personal concern with one close “face-to-face” friend, or one close online friend? Why? Online, because they really are, almost always, more understanding.

7. Would you ever consider meeting up with someone you met online? Why? Yes. If the opportunity would strike, I would totally take the chance. I’m hoping to meet up with one particular member soon.

8. Would you consider maintaining a romantic relationship over the Internet with someone you met online? Why? Not so much so. I mean, I’ve heard of success stories (Tiff and Dono) but it’s just not something I can see myself doing.

9. What first encouraged you to make friends online? Well I spend so much time on YWS, it’s hard not to make friends.

10. What difference do you think your online friends have made in your life? They keep me from losing my mind. Where I live specifically, I’m generally pretty isolated from other people my age. Having YWSish friends keeps me from going a bit nuts from lack of human contact.