Analysis of the Digital Divide and Attenuation of Communication by the Diffusion of the Internet

为了分析互联网使用的影响，特别是相对于R.Kraut等人（1998）提出的“互联网Parkway”假说，我们在2003年11月至12月期间进行了一项小组调查。1）互联网概况61%的样本透过个人电脑及/或移动的电话接达互联网，较2001年上升约9个百分点。一个显著的变化是，通过移动的电话上网的人数增加，而通过电脑上网的人数减少。根据时间预算调查，通过电脑上网的时间为21.5分钟/天，占上网总时间的60%左右，而通过移动的手机上网的时间为15.0分钟/天。Logistic回归分析显示，男性、年轻人、全职工作者、受过教育的人和富人通过电脑使用互联网的比例高于平均水平，而年轻人、全职工作者和受过教育的人通过移动的电话使用互联网的比例高于平均水平。在家里，电脑最常在客厅/餐厅使用，位于客厅/餐厅的电脑最有可能连接到互联网。2）“互联网伙伴关系”的有效性互联网使用对孤独或抑郁症的发病率没有显着影响。关于家庭内部的沟通，发现在刚开始使用互联网的人中，与家庭成员沟通的时间减少，“家庭团结”暂时减少。关于社交网络，会议明确表明，因特网的使用扩大了远方朋友的网络。虽然对蜂窝消息服务进行了相同的分析，但没有发现显着的影响。

In order to analyze the effects of Internet use, especially with respect to the "Internet Paradox" hypothesis proposed by R.Kraut et al. (1998), we carried out a panel survey during November-December 2003. 1246 panel respondents, who had answered the 2001 survey, were asked to reply to this second questionnaire survey.1)General Outline of Internet Use61% of the sample accessed the Internet via personal computer and/or mobile phone, which is approximately 9% higher than the rate in 2001. A remarkable change is the rise in the number of Internet users via mobile phone and the decline in the number of Internet users via computer. According to the time budget survey, the amount of time consumed on the Internet via computeris 21.5 minutes/day, occupying about 60% of the total amount of time spent on the Internet, while the amount of time consumed on the Internet via mobile phones is 15.0 minutes/day. A logistic regression analysis shows that males, young people, full-time workers, educated people, and rich people use the Internet via computers more than the average respondent, while young people, full-time workers, and educated people use the Internet via mobile phone more than the average respondent. At home, computers are most often used in the living/dining room, and computers located in living/dining rooms are most likely to be connected to the Internet.2)Validity of the "Internet Paradox"No significant influence by Internet use on the incidence of loneliness or depression was discerned. As regards communication within families, it was found that the amount of time spent communicating with family members decreased among persons who started to use the Internet newly, and that "family-unity" decreases temporarily. In relation to social networks, it was shown clearly that Internet use expands networks of distant friends. Although same analysis was made on cellular messaging services, no significant influences were found.